Sample records for gas sensing performance

For the first time, this study reports the gassensingperformance of aluminosilicate azide cancrinite. The effect of annealing andoperating temperature on gassensing characteristic of azide cancrinite thick film is investigated systematically for various gases at different operating temperatures. This sensor was observed to be ...

The thick films of different thicknesses of BST were prepared by screen-printing technique and gas-sensingperformance of these films was tested for various gases. The films showed highest response and selectivity to ammonia gas. The effect of film thickness on gas response was also studied. As prepared BST thick films ...

We demonstrate a facile synthetic method to prepare lateral size controlled molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) nanosheets using liquid phase exfoliated few-layer MoSe2 nanosheets as a starting material. By precisely controlling the centrifugation condition, preparation of MoSe2 nanosheets with a narrow size distribution ranging from several hundred nanometers to several micrometers could be realized. The accurate size control of MoSe2 nanosheets offers us a great opportunity to examine the size dependent sensing properties. The sensing test results demonstrate that the MoSe2 nanosheets provide competitive advantages compared with conventional graphene based sensors. A tradeoff phenomenon on sensing response and recovery as the lateral size of MoSe2 nanosheets varies is observed. First principles calculations reveal that the ratio of edge-surface sites is responsible for this phenomenon. The correlation between the lateral size and gassensingperformance of MoSe2 nanosheets is established.

Highlights: • In 2 O 3 octahedron films are prepared based on sol–gel technique for the first time. • The preparation possesses merits of low temperature, catalyst-free and large production. • It was found that the spin-coating process in film fabrication was key to achieve the octahedrons. • The In 2 O 3 octahedrons could significantly enhance room temperature NO 2 gassensingperformance. - Abstract: Indium oxide octahedrons were prepared on glass substrates through a mild route based on sol–gel technique. The preparation possesses characteristics including low temperature, catalyst-free and large production, which is much distinguished from the chemical-vapor-deposition based methods that usually applied to prepare indium oxide octahedrons. Detailed characterization revealed that the indium oxide octahedrons were single crystalline, with {1 1 1} crystal facets exposed. It was found that the spin-coating technique was key for achieving the indium oxide crystals with octahedron morphology. The probable formation mechanism of the indium oxide octahedrons was proposed based on the experiment results. Room temperature NO 2 gassensing measurements exhibited that the indium oxide octahedrons could significantly enhance the sensingperformance in comparison with the plate-like indium oxide particles that prepared from the dip-coated gel films, which was attributed to the abundant sharp edges and tips as well as the special {1 1 1} crystal facets exposed that the former possessed. Such a simple wet-chemical based method to prepare indium oxide octahedrons with large-scale production is promising to provide the advanced materials that can be applied in wide fields like gassensing, solar energy conversion, field emission, and so on

Highly-uniform In2O3/CuO bilayer and multilayer porous thin films were successfully fabricated using a self-assembled soft template and a simple sputtering deposition technique. The sensor based on the In2O3/CuO bilayer porous thin film shows obviously improved sensingperformance to ethanol at a lower working temperature, compared to its single layer counterpart sensors. The response of the In2O3/CuO bilayer sensors exhibit nearly 3 and 5 times higher performance than those of the single layer In2O3 and CuO porous film sensors over the same ethanol concentration, respectively. The sensing mechanism based on the p-n hetero-junction, which contributed to the enhanced sensingperformance, was also experimentally confirmed by a control experiment in which an SiO2 insulation layer was inserted between the In2O3 and CuO layers to break the p-n junction. In addition, the sensingperformance can be further enhanced by increasing the number of In2O3/CuO junction layers. The facile process can be easily extended to the fabrication of other semiconductor oxide gas sensors for practical sensing applications.Highly-uniform In2O3/CuO bilayer and multilayer porous thin films were successfully fabricated using a self-assembled soft template and a simple sputtering deposition technique. The sensor based on the In2O3/CuO bilayer porous thin film shows obviously improved sensingperformance to ethanol at a lower working temperature, compared to its single layer counterpart sensors. The response of the In2O3/CuO bilayer sensors exhibit nearly 3 and 5 times higher performance than those of the single layer In2O3 and CuO porous film sensors over the same ethanol concentration, respectively. The sensing mechanism based on the p-n hetero-junction, which contributed to the enhanced sensingperformance, was also experimentally confirmed by a control experiment in which an SiO2 insulation layer was inserted between the In2O3 and CuO layers to break the p-n junction. In addition, the sensing

To fabricate a high-performance material for sensor devices at room temperature and further improve the synthetic approach of sensing materials, one dimensional (1D) CuO-CNTs nanocomposites were prepared with CNTs and CuO nanorods (NRs) via a facile reflux method. The 1D composite with the molar ratio of CuO and CNTs at 2.4:1 displays excellent gassensingperformance, i.e. the lowest detectable limit of 970 ppb and the short response time of 6 s-97.0 ppm NO2 at room temperature. In the 1D composite, the CNTs part provides a channel to enable effective and fast carrier transport, while the CuO NRs fabricates an asymmetrical schottky contact at the interface between the composites and the Au electrode. The advantage of the synergy of CNTs and CuO which possesses superior conductivity benefits the sensing of our 1D CuO-CNTs composite by providing affluent electrons.

Our study deals with the utilization of carbon nanotubes networks based transistors with different metal electrodes for highly selective gassensing. Indeed, carbon nanotubes networks can be used as semi conducting materials to achieve good performances transistors. These devices are extremely sensitive to the change of the Schottky barrier heights between Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) and drain/source metal electrodes: the gas adsorption creates an interfacial dipole that modifies the metal work function and so the bending and the height of the Schottky barrier at the contacts. Moreover each gas interacts specifically with each metal identifying a sort of electronic fingerprinting. Using airbrush technique for deposition, we have been able to achieve uniform random networks of carbon nanotubes suitable for large area applications and mass production such as fabrication of CNT based gas sensors. These networks enable us to achieve transistors with on/off ratio of more than 5 orders of magnitude. To reach these characteristics, the density of the CNT network has been adjusted in order to reach the percolation threshold only for semi-conducting nanotubes. These optimized devices have allowed us to tune the sensitivity (improving it) of our sensors for highly selective detection of DiMethyl-Methyl-Phosphonate (DMMP, a sarin stimulant), and even volatile drug precursors using Pd, Au and Mo electrodes.

The H2S sensing properties of the SnO2 films were investigated with different annealing temperatures and H2S gas concentrations. It was found that the annealing temperature significantly affects the sensitivity of the SnO2 to the H2S. The sensitivity was found to be maximum for the film annealed at temperature 950°C at ...

We report on our studies of composite zinc oxide semiconductor (COS) nanoparticles as sensing materials for the development of high-performancegas sensors. The average diameter of the nanoparticles is 40 nm. The basic electrical properties of sensing materials have been measured. The morphologic surface and crystalline structures of COS are characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman scattering spectroscopy, respectively. By using synthesized COS of CuO-ZnO materials, prototypic highly sensitive gas sensors have been designed, fabricated and tested. Important stability and repeatability features have been obtained. The sensitivities of the COS based sensors to methane and hydrogen gases as a function of time and the gas concentrations have been determined. Various sensing parameters including the sensitivity, response time, recovery time, and thermal effect on the gas sensor performance have also been investigated in order to reveal the sensing ability. Analyses of experimental data indicate that the obtained response and recovery are almost 10 times faster than conventional sensors constructed solely from one material.

In the present work, a comparative study of gas sensor performance of group-I-doped (Na- and K-doped) ZnO nanorods to ethanol was carried out for the first time. The nanorods were grown on SiO2/Si substrates by a thermal evaporation method, using a tube furnace. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed that the K and Na were doped in the ZnO nanorods. Furthermore, the XPS spectra indicated that the K-doped ZnO nanorods were grown by more oxygen vacancy compared with the Na-doped ZnO nanorods. Room temperature photoluminescence results confirmed the XPS results about oxygen vacancy level of the doped samples. The doped ZnO nanorods showed excellent gas-sensingperformance against ethanol in comparison with the undoped ZnO nanorods. The K-doped ZnO nanorods revealed a high gassensing at the operating temperature of 300 °C, while the operating temperature of the Na-doped was 280 °C. Moreover, the response and recovery time of the doped samples were shorter than those of the undoped sample. The enhanced gas-sensingperformance of doped ZnO nanorods is attributed to the larger amount of oxygen vacancy in the doped ZnO nanorods. Furthermore, group-I-doped ZnO nanorods performed good selectivity compared with the undoped ZnO nanorods.

Full Text Available Sensing technology has been widely investigated and utilized for gas detection. Due to the different applicability and inherent limitations of different gassensing technologies, researchers have been working on different scenarios with enhanced gas sensor calibration. This paper reviews the descriptions, evaluation, comparison and recent developments in existing gassensing technologies. A classification of sensing technologies is given, based on the variation of electrical and other properties. Detailed introduction to sensing methods based on electrical variation is discussed through further classification according to sensing materials, including metal oxide semiconductors, polymers, carbon nanotubes, and moisture absorbing materials. Methods based on other kinds of variations such as optical, calorimetric, acoustic and gas-chromatographic, are presented in a general way. Several suggestions related to future development are also discussed. Furthermore, this paper focuses on sensitivity and selectivity for performance indicators to compare different sensing technologies, analyzes the factors that influence these two indicators, and lists several corresponding improved approaches.

Gassensing ability of the He plasma induced fiber-like nanostructure, so-called fuzz structure, was firstly examined. A thin Mo layer deposited on a quartz surface was irradiated by He plasma to form the fuzz structure and oxidized by annealing in a quartz furnace. Electric conductivity of the fuzz Mo oxide layer was then measured through the Au electrodes deposited on the layer. Changes in electric conductivity by C2H5OH gas flow were examined as a function of temperature from 200 to 400 °C. Improved sensitivities were observed for the specimens after a fuzz nanostructure formation. However, the sensor developed in this study showed lower sensitivities than previously reported MoO3 nano-rod sensor, further optimization of oxidation is needed to improve the sensitivity.

Full Text Available A significant amount of pollutants is produced from factories and motor vehicles in the form of gas. Their negative impact on the environment is well known; therefore detection with effective gas sensors is important as part of pollution prevention efforts. Gas sensors use a metal oxide semiconductor, specifically SnO2 nanostructures. This semiconductor is interesting and worthy of further investigation because of its many uses, for example, as lithium battery electrode, energy storage, catalyst, and transistor, and has potential as a gas sensor. In addition, there has to be a discussion of the use of SnO2 as a pollutant gas sensor especially for waste products such as CO, CO2, SO2, and NOx. In this paper, the development of the fabrication of SnO2 nanostructures synthesis will be described as it relates to the performances as pollutant gas sensors. In addition, the functionalization of SnO2 as a gas sensor is extensively discussed with respect to the theory of gas adsorption, the surface features of SnO2, the band gap theory, and electron transfer.

La/ZnO nanoplates were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of the products were characterized using x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The gas-sensing properties of the as-prepared La/ZnO were also tested with a series of target gases, and a possible gassensing mechanism was discussed. The results show that the as-prepared La/ZnO nanoparticles are mainly composde of a wurtzite ZnO and a little La2O3 phase with face-centered structure, showing a uniform plate-like morphology with a thickness of about 50 nm. The La/ZnO nanoplate-based sensors display a significantly better sensingperformance than pure ZnO for the detection of acetone and ethanol. The 3 mol.% La/ZnO sensor shows high sensitivity (127) to 200 ppm acetone at a low working temperature (330°C), and 120-200 ppm ethanol at 300°C. Moreover, its response and recovery time for acetone and ethanol were 3 s and 4 s, 18 s and 11 s, respectively. This work demonstrates that La/ZnO nanoplate-based sensors have potential applications as practical sensors for acetone and ethanol.

A facile approach for the fabrication of large-scale interdigitated nanogap electrodes (nanogap IDEs) with a controllable gap was demonstrated with conventional micro-fabrication technology to develop chemocapacitors for gassensing applications. In this work, interdigitated nanogap electrodes

Owing to their distinct chemical and physical properties, mesoporous metal oxide semiconductors have shown great application potential in catalysis, electrochemistry, energy conversion, and energy storage. In this study, mesoporous crystalline SnO 2 materials have been synthesized through an evaporation-induced co-assembly (EICA) method using poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polystyrene diblock copolymers as the template, tin chlorides as the tin sources, and tetrahydrofuran as the solvent. By controlling conditions of the co-assembly process and employing a carbon-supported thermal treatment strategy, highly ordered mesoporous SnO 2 materials with a hexagonal mesostructure (space group P6 3 /mmc) and crystalline pore walls can be obtained. The mesoporous SnO 2 is employed for fabricating gas sensor nanodevices which exhibit an excellent sensingperformance toward H 2 S with high sensitivity (170, 50 ppm) and superior stability, owing to its high surface area (98 m 2 /g), well-connected mesopores of ca. 18.0 nm, and high density of active sites in the crystalline pore walls. The chemical mechanism study reveals that both SO 2 and SnS 2 are generated during the gassensing process on the SnO 2 -based sensors.

Two-dimensional (2D) layered inorganic nanomaterials have attracted huge attention due to their unique electronic structures, as well as extraordinary physical and chemical properties for use in electronics, optoelectronics, spintronics, catalysts, energy generation and storage, and chemical sensors. Graphene and related layered inorganic analogues have shown great potential for gas-sensing applications because of their large specific surface areas and strong surface activities. This review aims to discuss the latest advancements in the 2D layered inorganic materials for gas sensors. We first elaborate the gas-sensing mechanisms and introduce various types of gas-sensing devices. Then, we describe the basic parameters and influence factors of the gas sensors to further enhance their performance. Moreover, we systematically present the current gas-sensing applications based on graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), functionalized GO or rGO, transition metal dichalcogenides, layered III-VI semiconductors, layered metal oxides, phosphorene, hexagonal boron nitride, etc. Finally, we conclude the future prospects of these layered inorganic materials in gas-sensing applications.

1995; Kodas and Hampden-Smith 1999). He also measured precursor drop size precisely. He found that bimodal particle. Figure 2. Kinetics in thin film deposition. size distributions were produced, suggesting that both one- particle-per-drop and gas-to-particle conversion mechanisms were involved in spray pyrolysis.

Highlights: • C-axis preferential oriented grown ZnO films were firstly deposited via SPPS with different solutions. • ZnO films were hydrophobic due to cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies with high surface specific area. • Gas detecting performance of (002) plane oriented ZnO was predicted and compared by “first principle calculation method”. - Abstract: Solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) as a novel thermal spray method was employed to deposit nano-structured ZnO thin film using different formulations of the precursor solution. This article focuses on the influence of the solution composition on the preferential orientation of crystal growth, on crystal size and surface morphology of the resulting ZnO films. The trend of preferential growth along (002) lattice plane of ZnO film was studied by slow scanning X-ray diffraction using a specific coefficient P{sub (002).} It appears that the thermal spray process promotes the buildup of ZnO films preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The shape of single particle tends to change from round shaped beads to hexagonal plates by increasing the volume ratio of ethanol in the solvent. Both cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies featuring high specific surface area and roughness were obtained through the SPPS process by varying solution composition. These ZnO films are hydrophobic with contact angle as high as 136°, which is seemingly associated with micro reliefs developing high surface specific area. Then the gassensingperformances of ZnO films preferentially oriented along (002) face were tentatively predicted using the “first principle calculation method” and were compared with those of conventional films that are mainly oriented along the (101) face. The (002) face displays better hydrogen adsorption capability than the (101) face with much larger resulting changes in electrical resistance. In conclusion, the c-axis oriented ZnO films obtained through SSPS have

Looking toward world technology trends over the next few decades, self-powered sensing networks are a key field of technological and economic driver for global industries. Since 2006, Zhong Lin Wang's group has proposed a novel concept of nanogenerators (NGs), including piezoelectric nanogenerator and triboelectric nanogenerator, which could convert a mechanical trigger into an electric output. Considering motion ubiquitously exists in the surrounding environment and for any most common materials used every day, NGs could be inherently served as an energy source for our daily increasing requirements or as one of self-powered environmental sensors. In this regard, by coupling the piezoelectric or triboelectric properties with semiconducting gassensing characterization, a new research field of self-powered gassensing has been proposed. Recent works have shown promising concept to realize NG-based self-powered gas sensors that are capable of detecting gas environment without the need of external power sources to activate the gas sensors or to actively generate a readout signal. Compared with conventional sensors, these self-powered gas sensors keep the approximate performance. Meanwhile, these sensors drastically reduce power consumption and additionally reduce the required space for integration, which are significantly suitable for the wearable devices. This paper gives a brief summary about the establishment and latest progress in the fundamental principle, updated progress and potential applications of NG-based self-powered gassensing system. The development trend in this field is envisaged, and the basic configurations are also introduced.

Tin dioxide quantum dots (TQDs) with controllable size were synthesized by changing the amount of alkaline reagent in the hydrothermal process. The gas-sensing properties were investigated by operating chemoresistor type sensor. The morphology and structure were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis and Raman spectrometry. The as-synthesized SnO2 shows the characteristics of quantum dots and the narrowest size distribution is about 2-3 nm. The gas-sensing results indicate that the responses are strongly dependent on the size of quantum dots. TQDs with different sizes exhibit different sensitivities and selectivities to volatile toxic chemicals such as aldehyde, acetone, methanol, ethanol and amine. Especially, when the sensors are exposed to 100 ppm triethylamine (TEA), the sensing response value of TQDs with small size is two times higher than that of the large-size TQDs. The maximum response values of TQDs to 1 ppm and 100 ppm TEA are 15 and 153, respectively. The response time is 1 s and the recovery time is 47 s upon exposure to 1 ppm TEA. The results suggest that it is an effective method by regulating the size of SnO2 quantum dots to detect low-concentration hazardous volatile compounds.

For the first time, ordered mesoporous ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by a template method. The electroplating after chemical plating method was creatively used to form copper film on the surface of the prepared ZnO, and then a CuO film-decorated ordered porous ZnO composite (CuO/ZnO) was obtained by a high-temperature oxidation method. In2O3 was loaded into the prepared CuO film-ZnO by an ultrasonic-assisted method to sensitize the room temperature gas-sensingperformance of the prepared CuO/ZnO materials. The doped In2O3 could effectively improve the gas-sensing properties of the prepared materials to nitrogen oxides (NOx) at room temperature. The 1% In2O3 doped CuO/ZnO sample (1 wt% In2O3-CuO/ZnO) showed the best gas-sensing properties whose response to 100 ppm NOx reached 82%, and the detectable minimum concentration reached 1 ppm at room temperature. The prepared materials had a good selectivity, better response, very low detection limit, and high sensitivity to NOx gas at room temperature, which would have a great development space in the gas sensor field and a great research value.

For the first time, ordered mesoporous ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by a template method. The electroplating after chemical plating method was creatively used to form copper film on the surface of the prepared ZnO, and then a CuO film-decorated ordered porous ZnO composite (CuO/ZnO) was obtained by a high-temperature oxidation method. In 2 O 3 was loaded into the prepared CuO film-ZnO by an ultrasonic-assisted method to sensitize the room temperature gas-sensingperformance of the prepared CuO/ZnO materials. The doped In 2 O 3 could effectively improve the gas-sensing properties of the prepared materials to nitrogen oxides (NO x ) at room temperature. The 1% In 2 O 3 doped CuO/ZnO sample (1 wt% In 2 O 3 -CuO/ZnO) showed the best gas-sensing properties whose response to 100 ppm NO x reached 82%, and the detectable minimum concentration reached 1 ppm at room temperature. The prepared materials had a good selectivity, better response, very low detection limit, and high sensitivity to NO x gas at room temperature, which would have a great development space in the gas sensor field and a great research value.

Graphical abstract: The gas-sensing property of quantum dots is related to their sizes. SnO{sub 2} quantum dots (TQDs) were synthesized and the sizes were controlled by a simple strategy. The results show that controlling QDs size is efficient to detect low-concentration hazardous volatile compounds selectively. - Highlights: • SnO{sub 2} quantum dots with controllable size were synthesized by hydrothermal route. • The sizes of SnO{sub 2} quantum dots (TQDs) were controlled by a simple strategy. • The responses to volatile chemicals strongly depend on the size of quantum dots. • Small-size TQDs exhibit a good selectivity and response to triethylamine. • Controlling size is efficient to detect low-concentration toxic gases selectively. - Abstract: Tin dioxide quantum dots (TQDs) with controllable size were synthesized by changing the amount of alkaline reagent in the hydrothermal process. The gas-sensing properties were investigated by operating chemoresistor type sensor. The morphology and structure were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, UV–vis and Raman spectrometry. The as-synthesized SnO{sub 2} shows the characteristics of quantum dots and the narrowest size distribution is about 2–3 nm. The gas-sensing results indicate that the responses are strongly dependent on the size of quantum dots. TQDs with different sizes exhibit different sensitivities and selectivities to volatile toxic chemicals such as aldehyde, acetone, methanol, ethanol and amine. Especially, when the sensors are exposed to 100 ppm triethylamine (TEA), the sensing response value of TQDs with small size is two times higher than that of the large-size TQDs. The maximum response values of TQDs to 1 ppm and 100 ppm TEA are 15 and 153, respectively. The response time is 1 s and the recovery time is 47 s upon exposure to 1 ppm TEA. The results suggest that it is an effective method by regulating the size of SnO{sub 2} quantum dots to detect low

Full Text Available The effect of variation of annealing temperature on the gassensing characteristics of SnO2 thin films, which have been prepared by spray pyrolysis on alumina substrate at 350 oC, is investigated systematically for various gases at different operating temperature. The XRD, UV-visible spectroscopy and SEM techniques were employed to establish the structural, optical and morphological characteristics of the materials, resp. The X-ray diffraction results showed an increase in the crystallinity at higher annealing temperature. A high value of sensitivity is obtained for H2S gas at an optimum temperature of 100 oC is improved considerably. A SnO2 gas sensor annealed at 950 oC with sensitivity as high as 24 %, 4 times higher than that of sensor annealed at 550oC, are obtained for 80 ppm of H2S. The degree of crystallinity and grain size calculated from the XRD patterns has been found increasing with annealing temp

The SnO2/g-C3N4 composites were synthesized via a facile calcination method by using SnCl4·5H2O and urea as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized composites were characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), the field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), thermal gravity and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and N2-sorption. The analysis results indicated that the as-synthesized samples possess the two dimensional structure. Additionally, the SnO2 nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of the g-C3N4nanosheets. The gas-sensingperformance of the as-synthesized composites for different gases was tested. Moreover, the composite with 7 wt % g-C3N4 content (SnO2/g-C3N4-7) SnO2/g-C3N4-7 exhibits an admirable gas-sensing property to ethanol, which possesses a higher response and better selectivity than that of the pure SnO2-based sensor. The high surface area of the SnO2/g-C3N4 composite and the good electronic characteristics of the two dimensional graphitic carbon nitride are in favor of the elevated gas-sensing property. PMID:28468245

Nanocomposite materials with excellent receptor and transducer functions are promising in ameliorating their gassensing properties. However, due to the abrupt changes of receptor and transducer functions when different components are combined together, structural engineering that considers both the receptor and transducer functions to design such desirable sensing materials still remains a great challenge. Here, a nanocomposite material composed of 1D ZnO nanorods and 3D Co 3 O 4 microspheres assembled by single-crystalline porous nanosheets has been designed, which was inspired by the high-efficiency receptor-transducer-response structure of venus flytraps. The as-designed ZnO/Co 3 O 4 composite exhibited high response (R a /R g = 125 to 100 ppm ethanol) which was 84 times and 8 times higher than those of Co 3 O 4 (R g /R a = 1.43) and ZnO (R a /R g = 15). The excellent sensing properties are ascribed to the as-designed flytrap-like structure which possesses a super receptor function from 1D ZnO with a large surface area, p-n heterojunctions with an amplified response signal, as well as excellent transducer functions from single-crystalline porous Co 3 O 4 with fast charge transport channels. This strategy provides us with new guidance on the exploration of high-performancegas sensors which could further extend to other bio-structures that are abundant in nature.

Metal Oxide Nanostructures as GasSensing Devices explores the development of an integrated micro gas sensor that is based on advanced metal oxide nanostructures and is compatible with modern semiconductor fabrication technology. This sensor can then be used to create a compact, low-power, handheld device for analyzing air ambience. The book first covers current gassensing tools and discusses the necessity for miniaturized sensors. It then focuses on the materials, devices, and techniques used for gassensing applications, such as resistance and capacitance variations. The author addresses the issues of sensitivity, concentration, and temperature dependency as well as the response and recovery times crucial for sensors. He also presents techniques for synthesizing different metal oxides, particularly those with nanodimensional structures. The text goes on to highlight the gassensing properties of many nanostructured metal oxides, from aluminum and cerium to iron and titanium to zinc and zirconium. The final...

The optical sensing subsystem of a LIGO interferometer is described. The system includes two complex interferometric sensing schemes to control test masses in length and alignment. The length sensing system is currently employed on all LIGO interferometers to lock coupled cavities on resonance. Auto-alignment is to be accomplished by a wavefront-sensing scheme which automatically corrects for angular fluctuations of the test masses. Improvements in lock stability and duration are noted when the wavefront auto-alignment system is employed. Preliminary results from the commissioning of the 2 km detector in Washington are shown.

Full Text Available In this work we report the synthesis, microstructure, electric properties and sensingperformance of BaSnO3 (BS powder, it was prepared by solid state mechano-chemical method. As prepared powder is calcinated at temperatures 1000 °C and 1200 °C and tested for crystallization. Thick films were prepared using simple yet effective screen-printing technology. Structural and electrical analyses were performed and the results have been correlated. The pure BS film shows good response (S=9.8 to NH3 at elevated temperature up to 500 °C along with response other gases with lower sensitivity such as CO2, CO, H2S for various gas concentrations, when the pure film is surface modified with Al2O3, film improves the selectivity and sensitivity. Maximum response (S=21.2 was found to H2S gas at temperature of 300 °C for gas concentration as low as up to 100 ppm. The characterization of the films was done by XRD, SEM and TGA. Crystallite size, surface area, electric properties and gas sensitivity of the films were measured and presented.

Chemical sensing and analyses of gas samples by laser spectroscopic methods are attractive owing to several advantages such as high sensitivity and specificity, large dynamic range, multi-component capability, and lack of pretreatment or preconcentration procedures. The preferred wavelength range comprises the fundamental molecular absorption range in the mid-infared between 3 and 15 μm, whereas the near-infrared range covers the (10-100 times weaker) higher harmonics and combination bands. The availability of near-infrared and, particularly, of broadly tunable mid-infrared sources like external cavity quantum cascade lasers (EC-QCLs), interband cascade lasers (ICLs), difference frequency generation (DFG), optical parametric oscillators (OPOs), recent developments of diode-pumped lead salt semiconductor lasers, of supercontinuum sources or of frequency combs have eased the implementation of laser-based sensing devices. Sensitive techniques for molecular absorption measurements include multipass absorption, various configurations of cavity-enhanced techniques such as cavity ringdown (CRD), or of photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) including quartz-enhanced (QEPAS) or cantilever-enhanced (CEPAS) techniques. The application requirements finally determine the optimum selection of laser source and detection scheme. In this tutorial talk I shall discuss the basic principles, present various experimental setups and illustrate the performance of selected systems for chemical sensing of selected key atmospheric species. Applications include an early example of continuous vehicle emission measurements with a mobile CO2-laser PAS system [1]. The fast analysis of C1-C4 alkanes at sub-ppm concentrations in gas mixtures is of great interest for the petrochemical industry and was recently achieved with a new type of mid-infrared diode-pumped piezoelectrically tuned lead salt vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) [2]. Another example concerns measurements on short

Gassensing properties of metal oxide nanopowders (ZnO, TiO2, WO3, SnO2) with average diameters of 40-60 nm were analyzed by room-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy. The influence of gas environment (O2, N2, H2, CO, CO2) on the emission intensity was investigated for metal oxide nanopowders with surface doped by impurities (Pt, Ag, Au, Sn, Ni or Cu). Established physicochemical regularities of modification of surface electronic states of initial and doped nanopowders during gas adsorption. The nature of metal oxide nanopowder gas-sensing properties (adsorption capacity, sensitivity, selectivity) has been established and the design and optimal materials for the construction of the multi-component sensing matrix have been selected.

Full Text Available Abstract Gassensing properties of metal oxide nanopowders (ZnO, TiO2, WO3, SnO2 with average diameters of 40–60 nm were analyzed by room-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy. The influence of gas environment (O2, N2, H2, CO, CO2 on the emission intensity was investigated for metal oxide nanopowders with surface doped by impurities (Pt, Ag, Au, Sn, Ni or Cu. Established physicochemical regularities of modification of surface electronic states of initial and doped nanopowders during gas adsorption. The nature of metal oxide nanopowder gas-sensing properties (adsorption capacity, sensitivity, selectivity has been established and the design and optimal materials for the construction of the multi-component sensing matrix have been selected.

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-titanium dioxide (TiO2) hybrid material has been prepared through a facile hydrothermal method for ammonia detection at room temperature. The combined characterizations including X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the successful formation of rGO-TiO2 hybrid. It also showed that the morphology of graphene sheets was greatly improved to become porous and undulating due to introduction of synthetic titanium dioxide. Accordingly, the hybrid-based sensor showed much more excellent sensing properties in comparison to that of bare graphene film sensor. The mechanism for the improvement could be ascribed to the synergetic effect between rGO sheets and TiO2 nanospheres, specifically, the enrichment of active adsorption sites on account of the supporting function of TiO2 nanospheres.

In this work, the adsorption of cyanogen (NCCN) molecule on the external surface of pristine and Cu-decorated Si12C12 (Cu@Si12C12) nanocage has been reported using density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the WB97XD/6-31 + G(d) level. The weak physisorption can be seen for the adsorption of the NCCN molecule onto the pristine nanocage. Thus, the structural and electronic properties of the pristine Si12C12 do not change dramatically by the adsorption process. As a result, Si12C12 nanocage cannot be a proper sensor for detecting and sensing NCCN molecule. In order to improve the properties of the nanosensor, Cu decorating process was investigated. Results obtained show that on the effectiveness of this process, the electrical properties of Si12C12 are considerably changed. In addition to, we investigated the adsorption of the NCCN molecule on to the external surface of Cu-decorated Si12C12 (Cu@Si12C12). According to the results of the calculations, this process is chemisorptions with the adsorption energy (E ads) in about -102.84 kJ · mol-1 and also in this process; the value of energy gap (E g) is significantly decreased. Therefore Cu@Si12C12 is a suitable adsorbent and it is expected that can potentially to be used as nanosensors for detecting the presence of toxic NCCN molecule.

Adsorption-induced change of carrier density is presently dominating inorganic semiconductor gassensing, which is usually operated at a high temperature. Besides carrier density, other carrier characteristics might also play a critical role in gassensing. Here, we show that carrier mobility can be an efficient parameter to dominate gassensing, by which room-temperature gassensing of inorganic semiconductors is realized via a carrier mobility-dominated gas-sensing (CMDGS) mode. To demonstrate CMDGS, we design and prepare a gas sensor based on a regular array of SnO 2 nanorods on a bottom film. It is found that the key for determining the gas-sensing mode is adjusting the length of the arrayed nanorods. With the change in the nanorod length from 340 to 40 nm, the gas-sensing behavior changes from the conventional carrier-density mode to a complete carrier-mobility mode. Moreover, compared to the carrier density-dominating gassensing, the proposed CMDGS mode enhances the sensor sensitivity. CMDGS proves to be an emerging gas-sensing mode for designing inorganic semiconductor gas sensors with high performances at room temperature.

TeO2-nanostructured sensors are seldom reported compared to other metal oxide semiconductor materials such as ZnO, In2O3, TiO2, Ga2O3, etc. TeO2/CuO core-shell nanorods were fabricated by thermal evaporation of Te powder followed by sputter deposition of CuO. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that each nanorod consisted of a single crystal TeO2 core and a polycrystalline CuO shell with a thickness of approximately 7 nm. The TeO2/CuO core-shell one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures exhibited a bamboo leaf-like morphology. The core-shell nanorods were 100 to 300 nm in diameter and up to 30 μm in length. The multiple networked TeO2/CuO core-shell nanorod sensor showed responses of 142% to 425% to 0.5- to 10-ppm NO2 at 150°C. These responses were stronger than or comparable to those of many other metal oxide nanostructures, suggesting that TeO2 is also a promising sensor material. The responses of the core-shell nanorods were 1.2 to 2.1 times higher than those of pristine TeO2 nanorods over the same NO2 concentration range. The underlying mechanism for the enhanced NO2 sensing properties of the core-shell nanorod sensor can be explained by the potential barrier-controlled carrier transport mechanism. 61.46. + w; 07.07.Df; 73.22.-f.

Full Text Available Synthesis—particularly by electrochemical anodization-, growth mechanism and chemical sensing properties of pure, doped and mixed titania tubular arrays are reviewed. The first part deals on how anodization parameters affect the size, shape and morphology of titania nanotubes. In the second part fabrication of sensing devices based on titania nanotubes is presented, together with their most notable gassensingperformances. Doping largely improves conductivity and enhances gassensingperformances of TiO2 nanotubes

A kind of novel ZnSnO3/SnO2 hollow urchin nanostructure was synthesized by a facile, eco-friendly two-step liquid-phase process. The structure, morphology, and composition of samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nitrogen adsorption-desorption techniques. The results revealed that many tiny needle-like SnO2 nanowires with the average diameter of 5 nm uniformly grew on the surface of the ZnSnO3 hollow microspheres and the ZnSnO3/SnO2 hollow urchin nanostructures with different SnO2 content also were successfully prepared. In order to comprehend the evolution process of the ZnSnO3/SnO2 hollow urchin nanostructures, the possible growth mechanism of samples was illustrated via several experiments in different reaction conditions. Moreover, the gas-sensingperformance of as-prepared samples was investigated. The results showed that ZnSnO3/SnO2 hollow urchin nanostructures with high response to various concentration levels of acetone enhanced selectivity, satisfying repeatability, and good long-term stability for acetone detection. Specially, the 10 wt% ZnSnO3/SnO2 hollow urchin nanostructure exhibited the best gas sensitivity (17.03 for 50 ppm acetone) may be a reliable biomarker for the diabetes patients, which could be ascribed to its large specific surface area, complete pore permeability, and increase of chemisorbed oxygen due to the doping of SnO2.

This innovation is a lightweight, small sensor for inert gases that consumes a relatively small amount of power and provides measurements that are as accurate as conventional approaches. The sensing approach is based on generating an electrical discharge and measuring the specific gas breakdown voltage associated with each gas present in a sample. An array of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a substrate is connected to a variable-pulse voltage source. The CNT tips are spaced appropriately from the second electrode maintained at a constant voltage. A sequence of voltage pulses is applied and a pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage is estimated for one or more gas components, from an analysis of the current-voltage characteristics. Each estimated pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage is compared with known threshold voltages for candidate gas components to estimate whether at least one candidate gas component is present in the gas. The procedure can be repeated at higher pulse voltages to estimate a pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage for a second component present in the gas. The CNTs in the gas sensor have a sharp (low radius of curvature) tip; they are preferably multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs), to generate high-strength electrical fields adjacent to the tips for breakdown of the gas components with lower voltage application and generation of high current. The sensor system can provide a high-sensitivity, low-power-consumption tool that is very specific for identification of one or more gas components. The sensor can be multiplexed to measure current from multiple CNT arrays for simultaneous detection of several gas components.

The semiconductor industry was benefited by the advances in technology in the last decades. This fact has an impact on the sensors field, where the simple transducer was evolved into smart miniaturized multi-functional microsystems. However, commercially available gas and biological sensors are mostly bulky, expensive, and power-hungry, which act as obstacles to mass use. The aim of this work is gas and biological sensing using capacitive structures. Capacitive sensors were selected due to its design simplicity, low fabrication cost, and no DC power consumption. In the first part, the dominant structure among interdigitated electrodes (IDEs), fractal curves (Peano and Hilbert) and Archimedean spiral was investigated from capacitance density perspective. The investigation consists of geometrical formula calculations, COMSOL Multiphysics simulations and cleanroom fabrication of the capacitors on a silicon substrate. Moreover, low-cost fabrication on flexible plastic PET substrate was conducted outside cleanroom with rapid prototyping using a maskless laser etching. The second part contains the humidity, Volatile Organic compounds (VOCs) and Ammonia sensing of polymers, Polyimide and Nafion, and metal-organic framework (MOF), Cu(bdc)2.xH2O using IDEs and tested in an automated gas setup for experiment control and data extraction. The last part includes the biological sensing of C - reactive protein (CRP) quantification, which is considered as a biomarker of being prone to cardiac diseases and Bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein quantification, which is used as a reference for quantifying unknown proteins.

A comparison of the stability and sensitivity for two different sensor types (semiconductor SnO(2) devices, amperometric electrochemical sensors) has been performed. Sensitivities and drifts in the signal and in the background for various concentrations of CO have been studied for thick-film SnO(2) sensors (Pt and Pd doped) for a period in excess of 8 months. Similar performance data have been recorded for commercial amperometric sensors for a period in excess of 4 years. The two different sensor types investigated here were also compared to the well-known commercial Figaro TGS 822 sensor at similar concentrations. An objective approach for comparing different types of sensors has been developed using the "analytical sensitivity".

Full Text Available A study on the propane gas-sensing properties of Cu-doped ZnO thin films is presented in this work. The films were deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel and dip coating methods, using zinc acetate as a zinc precursor, copper acetate and copper chloride as precursors for doping. For higher sensitivity values, two film thickness values are controlled by the six and eight dippings, whereas for doping, three dippings were used, irrespective of the Cu precursor. The film structure was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, and the analysis of the surface morphology and film composition was made through scanning electron microscopy (SEM and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS, respectively. The sensing properties of Cu-doped ZnO thin films were then characterized in a propane atmosphere, C3H8, at different concentration levels and different operation temperatures of 100, 200 and 300 °C. Cu-doped ZnO films doped with copper chloride presented the highest sensitivity of approximately 6 × 104, confirming a strong dependence on the dopant precursor type. The results obtained in this work show that the use of Cu as a dopant in ZnO films processed by sol-gel produces excellent catalysts for sensing C3H8 gas.

The detection of H2S, an important gaseous molecule that has been recently marked as a highly toxic environmental pollutant, has attracted increasing attention. We fabricate a wafer-scale SnO2 thin film sensitized with CuO islands using microelectronic technology for the improved detection of the highly toxic H2S gas. The SnO2-CuO island sensor exhibits significantly enhanced H2S gas response and reduced operating temperature. The thickness of CuO islands strongly influences H2S sensing characteristics, and the highest H2S gas response is observed with 20 nm-thick CuO islands. The response value (Ra/Rg) of the SnO2-CuO island sensor to 5 ppm H2S is as high as 128 at 200 °C and increases nearly 55-fold compared with that of the bare SnO2 thin film sensor. Meanwhile, the response of the SnO2-CuO island sensor to H2 (250 ppm), NH3 (250 ppm), CO (250 ppm), and LPG (1000 ppm) are low (1.3-2.5). The enhanced gas response and selectivity of the SnO2-CuO island sensor to H2S gas is explained by the sensitizing effect of CuO islands and the extension of electron depletion regions because of the formation of p-n junctions.

This paper studies ethylene gassensingperformance of tin oxide (SnO2) nanowires (NWs) as sensing material synthesized using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The effect of NWs diameter on ethylene gassensing characteristics were investigated. SnO2 NWs with diameter of ∼40 and ∼240 nm were deposited onto the alumina substrate with printed gold electrodes and tested for sensing characteristic toward ethylene gas. From the finding, the smallest diameter of NWs (42 nm) exhibit fast response and recovery time and higher sensitivity compared to largest diameter of NWs (∼240 nm). Both sensor show good reversibility features for ethylene gas sensor.

The cooperative assembly of biopolymers and small molecules can yield functional materials with precisely tunable properties. Here, the fabrication, characterization, and use of multicomponent hybrid gels as selective gas sensors are reported. The gels are composed of liquid crystal droplets self-assembled in the presence of ionic liquids, which further coassemble with biopolymers to form stable matrices. Each individual component can be varied and acts cooperatively to tune gels' structure and function. The unique molecular environment in hybrid gels is explored for supramolecular recognition of volatile compounds. Gels with distinct compositions are used as optical and electrical gas sensors, yielding a combinatorial response conceptually mimicking olfactory biological systems, and tested to distinguish volatile organic compounds and to quantify ethanol in automotive fuel. The gel response is rapid, reversible, and reproducible. These robust, versatile, modular, pliant electro-optical soft materials possess new possibilities in sensing triggered by chemical and physical stimuli.

Full Text Available Cupric oxide (CuO thin films are promising materials in gas sensor applications. The CuO-based gas sensors behaved as p-type semiconductors and can be used as part of an e-nose or smart sensor array for breath analysis. The authors present the investigation results on M-doped CuO-based (M = Ag, Au, Cr, Pd, Pt, Sb, Si sensors working at various temperatures upon exposure to a low concentration of C3H8, which can be found in exhaled human breath, and it can be considered as a one of the biomarkers of several diseases. The films have been deposited in magnetron sputtering technology on low temperature cofired ceramics substrates. The results of the gas sensors’ response are also presented and discussed. The Cr:CuO-based structure, annealed at 400 °C for 4 h in air, showed the highest sensor response, of the order of 2.7 at an operation temperature of 250 °C. The response and recovery time(s were 10 s and 24 s, respectively. The results show that the addition of M-dopants in the cupric oxide films effectively act as catalysts in propane sensors and improve the gassensing properties. The films’ phase composition, microstructure and surface topography have been assessed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX methods.

Cupric oxide (CuO) thin films are promising materials in gas sensor applications. The CuO-based gas sensors behaved as p-type semiconductors and can be used as part of an e-nose or smart sensor array for breath analysis. The authors present the investigation results on M-doped CuO-based (M = Ag, Au, Cr, Pd, Pt, Sb, Si) sensors working at various temperatures upon exposure to a low concentration of C3H8, which can be found in exhaled human breath, and it can be considered as a one of the biomarkers of several diseases. The films have been deposited in magnetron sputtering technology on low temperature cofired ceramics substrates. The results of the gas sensors’ response are also presented and discussed. The Cr:CuO-based structure, annealed at 400 °C for 4 h in air, showed the highest sensor response, of the order of 2.7 at an operation temperature of 250 °C. The response and recovery time(s) were 10 s and 24 s, respectively. The results show that the addition of M-dopants in the cupric oxide films effectively act as catalysts in propane sensors and improve the gassensing properties. The films’ phase composition, microstructure and surface topography have been assessed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods. PMID:26287204

Cupric oxide (CuO) thin films are promising materials in gas sensor applications. The CuO-based gas sensors behaved as p-type semiconductors and can be used as part of an e-nose or smart sensor array for breath analysis. The authors present the investigation results on M-doped CuO-based (M = Ag, Au, Cr, Pd, Pt, Sb, Si) sensors working at various temperatures upon exposure to a low concentration of C3H8, which can be found in exhaled human breath, and it can be considered as a one of the biomarkers of several diseases. The films have been deposited in magnetron sputtering technology on low temperature cofired ceramics substrates. The results of the gas sensors' response are also presented and discussed. The Cr:CuO-based structure, annealed at 400 °C for 4 h in air, showed the highest sensor response, of the order of 2.7 at an operation temperature of 250 °C. The response and recovery time(s) were 10 s and 24 s, respectively. The results show that the addition of M-dopants in the cupric oxide films effectively act as catalysts in propane sensors and improve the gassensing properties. The films' phase composition, microstructure and surface topography have been assessed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods.

Methods for gassensing with single-walled carbon nanotubes are described. The methods comprise biasing at least one carbon nanotube and exposing to a gas environment to detect variation in temperature as an electrical response.

Merocyanine dyes have been synthesised, with the general formula being; R-A + -C=X-D - Where R is either an octadecyl (C 18 H 37 ), hexadecyl tail (C 16 H 33 ) or thioacetate functionality. A + being a pyridinium, quinolinium or isoquinolinium acceptor, X being N or CH, with D - being either phenolate, 2,6-dichlorophenolate or 2,6-dibromophenolate. In addition zwitterionic dyes were synthesised, with the general formula being; R-A + -CH=CCN-C 6 H 4 -C(CN) 2 - Where R is either a hexadecyl (C 16 H 33 ) or benzyl functionality (CH 2 -C 6 H 5 ) and A is a quinolinium acceptor. All the dyes studied produced isotherm data, with the molecular areas of 0.60 -1.10 nm 2 molecule -1 , which are consistent with the cross-sectional areas of the chromophores when arranged in vertical alignment. The Langmuir films of the dyes were deposited as monolayers onto glass or gold substrates, and as such surface plasmon resonance, quartz crystal microbalance and gassensing studies were conducted. Surface plasmon resonance studies gave thickness ranging from 1.75 nm to 3.2 nm which are consistent with the length of the fully aligned chromophores. QCM studies indicated molecular areas between 0.37 - 0.70 nm 2 which are consistent with the cross-sectional areas of the chromophores. The gassensing response at 100 ppm ammonia vapour for the dyes ranged from 0.0 % - 12 % reflectance change. The dyes were found to favour aggregation (centric anti-parallel alignment) in less polar solvents, and this in turn modulated the properties of the Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films. The dyes were markedly solvatochromic, with the dyes absorption bands ranging from 410 nm to 450 nm (for the protonated forms of the dyes) and 620 nm to 890 nm (for unprotonated forms of the dye). A comparison with Reichardt's normalised polarity index confirmed aggregation. (author)

The invention relates to a potentiometric gas sensor, or potentiometric gas detection element, with multiple internal reference electrodes and multiple sensing electrodes for determining the concentrations of gas components in a gaseous mixture. The sensor for gas detection comprises: a solid...

Chemical sensors for monitoring gas composition, including oxygen, humidity, carbon dioxide, and trace contaminants, are needed to characterize and validate spacesuit design and operating parameters. This paper reports on the first prototypes of a non-intrusive gassensing technology based on flexible sensitive patches positioned inside spacesuit prototypes and interrogated via optical fibers routed outside the suit, taking advantage of the transparent materials of the suit prototypes. The sensitive patches are based on luminescent materials whose emission parameters vary with the partial pressure of a specific gas. Patches sensitive to carbon dioxide, humidity, and temperature have been developed, and their preliminary laboratory characterization in Mark III-like helmet parts is described. The first prototype system consists of a four-channel fiber optic luminescent detector that can be used to monitor any of the selected target gases at four locations. To switch from one gas to another we replace the (disposable) sensor patches and adjust the system settings. Repeatability among sensitive patches and of sensor performance from location to location has been confirmed, assuring that suit engineers will have flexibility in selecting multiple sensing points, fitting the sensor elements into the spacesuit, and easily repositioning the sensor elements as desired. The evaluation of the first prototype for monitoring carbon dioxide during washout studies in a spacesuit prototype is presented.

Graphene Oxide (GO) is analogous to graphene, but presence of many functional groups makes its physical and chemical properties essentially different from those of graphene. GO is found to be a promising material for low cost fabrication of highly versatile and environment friendly gas sensors. Selectivity, reversibility and sensitivity of GO based gas sensor have been improved by hybridization with Zinc Oxide nanoparticles. The device is fabricated by spin coating of deionized water dispersed GO flakes (synthesized using traditional hummer’s method) doped with Zinc Oxide on standard glass substrate. Since GO is an insulator and functional groups on GO nanosheets play vital role in adsorbing gas molecules, it is being used as an adsorber. Additionally, on being exposed to certain gases the electric and optical characteristics of GO material exhibit an alteration in behavior. For the conductivity, we use Zinc Oxide, as it displays a high sensitivity towards conduction. The effects of the compositions, structural defects and morphologies of graphene based sensing layers and the configurations of sensing devices on the performances of gas sensors were investigated by Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction(XRD) and Keithley Sourcemeter.

Phosphorene, a new elemental two-dimensional material, has attracted increasing attention owing to its intriguing electronic properties. In particular, pristine phospohorene, due to its ultrahigh surface-volume ratio and high chemical activity, has been shown to be promising for gassensing (Abbas et al 2015 ACS Nano 9 5618). To further enhance its sensing ability, we perform first-principles calculations based on density functional theory to study substitutionally doped phosphorene with 17 different atoms, focusing on structures, energetics, electronic properties and gassensing. Our calculations reveal that anionic X (X = O, C and S) dopants have a large binding energy and highly dispersive electronic states, signifying the formation of covalent X-P bonds and thus strong structural stability. Alkali atom (Li and Na) doping is found to donate most of the electrons in the outer s-orbital by forming ionic bonds with P, and the band gap decreases by pushing down the conduction band, suggesting that the optical and electronic properties of the doped phosphorene can be tailored. For doping with VIIIB-group (Fe, Co and Ni) elements, a strong affinity is predicted and the binding energy and charge transfer are correlated strongly with their electronegativity. By examining NO molecule adsorption, we find that these metal doped phosphorenes (MDPs) in general exhibit a significantly enhanced chemical activity compared with pristine phosphorene. Our study suggests that substitutionally doped phosphorene shows many intriguing electronic and optic properties different from pristine phosphorene and MDPs are promising in chemical applications involving molecular adsorption and desorption processes, such as materials growth, catalysis, gassensing and storage.

In this work, we tested the influence of various sampling techniques and modes of operation on the response of sensor systems under real conditions. The first system was based on diffusive sampling. The second one used a dynamic method of sampling. In the third system, a stop flow mode of operation was applied. A considerable error of target gas concentration assessment was obtained in the first two cases. The error resulted from sensor signal fluctuations encountered during their exposure either to the air at the measurement point (diffusive sampling) or to the air drawn from the measurement point (dynamic sampling). The fluctuations could be attributed to the temporal variation of physical and chemical parameters of air. The main merit of the third method consists in utilizing sensor exposure under the conditions of stopped flow for the purpose of pollutant concentration assessment. While using this method, the accuracy of target gas quantification under real conditions was comparable to the one achieved when measuring standard gases. We think that the proposed method is a valuable contribution, which addresses the increasing demand for sensor systems that perform quantitative pollution assessment in workplace air, under real conditions. This paper was presented at the Conference on Optoelectronic and Electronic Sensors held in Karpacz, Poland, on 24-27 June 2012.

Full Text Available Thick films of WO3 (Tungsten Oxide were prepared by screen-printing techniques. The surfaces of the films were modified by dipping them into an aqueous solution of Chromium Oxide (CrO3 for different intervals of time, followed by firing at 550 oC for 30 min. The gassensingperformance of the pure and Cr2O3-modified films was tested for various gases at different temperatures. The unmodified films showed response to H2S, ethanol and cigar smoke. However Cr2O3- modified films suppresses gassensing response to all gases except H2S. The surface modification, using dipping process, altered the adsorbate-adsorbent interactions, which gave the specific selectivity and enhanced sensitivity to H2S gas. The gas response, selectivity, thermal stability and recovery time of the sensor were measured and presented. The role played by surface chromium species to improve gassensingperformance is discussed.

This study evaluates the performance of Australian's natural gas utilities against world best practice. In particular, it examines whether Australia's traded goods sector is disadvantaged by the performance of domestic infrastructure service industries. It reports on the operating efficiency of the natural gas industry using Data Envelopment Analysis. It concludes that the Australian gas industry as a whole is performing relatively well in term of operating efficiency and that its prices are comparable with prices in North America, once differences in consumption per customer are taken into consideration. Appendixes 1 and 2 provide a summary of the structure and regulation of the gas supply industry in Australia and selected overseas countries, while the Appendix 3 gives an econometric analysis of the relationships between consumption per customer and residential price-cost margins. refs., tabs., figs

Calixarenes are a group of materials that are widely used for gassensing studies because of their simple synthesis, conformational flexibility, binding group tunability, variability in their cavity sizes and improved selectivity to different gas molecules. In recent years it has been shown that incorporation of gold nanoparticles ...

We demonstrate the high sensitivity of gassensing using a novel air-guiding photonic bandgap fiber. The bandgap fiber is spliced to a standard single-mode fiber at the input end for easy coupling and filled with gas through the other end placed in a vacuum chamber. The technique is applied...

Abstract. Calixarenes are a group of materials that are widely used for gassensing studies because of their simple synthesis, conformational flexibility, binding group tunability, variability in their cavity sizes and improved selectiv- ity to different gas molecules. In recent years it has been shown that incorporation of gold ...

Infrared spectroscopy allows for highly selective and highly sensitive detection of gas species and concentrations. Conventional gas spectrometers are generally large and unsuitable for on-chip applications. Long absorption path lengths are usually required and impose a challenge for miniaturization. In this work, a gas spectrometer is developed consisting of a microtube photonic crystal structure. This structure of millimetric form factors minimizes the required absorption path length due to slow light effects. The microtube photonic crystal allows for strong transmission in the mid-infrared and, due to its large void space fraction, a strong interaction between light and gas molecules. As a result, enhanced absorption of light increases the gas sensitivity of the device. Slow light enhanced gas absorption by a factor of 5.8 in is experimentally demonstrated at 5400 nm. We anticipate small form factor gas sensors on silicon to be a starting point for on-chip gassensing architectures.

The density of oxygen vacancies in semiconductor gas sensors was often assumed to be identical throughout the grain in the numerical discussion of the gas-sensing mechanism of the devices. In contrast, the actual devices had grains with inhomogeneous distribution of oxygen vacancy under non-ideal conditions. This conflict between reality and discussion drove us to study the formation and migration of the oxygen defects in semiconductor grains. A model of the gradient-distributed oxygen vacancy was proposed based on the effects of cooling rate and re-annealing on semiconductive thin films. The model established the diffusion equations of oxygen vacancy according to the defect kinetics of diffusion and exclusion. We described that the steady-state and transient-state oxygen vacancy distributions, which were used to calculate the gas-sensing characteristics of the sensor resistance and response to reducing gases under two different conditions. The gradient-distributed oxygen vacancy model had the applications in simulating the sensor performances, such as the power law, the grain size effect and the effect of depletion layer width.

Full Text Available The density of oxygen vacancies in semiconductor gas sensors was often assumed to be identical throughout the grain in the numerical discussion of the gas-sensing mechanism of the devices. In contrast, the actual devices had grains with inhomogeneous distribution of oxygen vacancy under non-ideal conditions. This conflict between reality and discussion drove us to study the formation and migration of the oxygen defects in semiconductor grains. A model of the gradient-distributed oxygen vacancy was proposed based on the effects of cooling rate and re-annealing on semiconductive thin films. The model established the diffusion equations of oxygen vacancy according to the defect kinetics of diffusion and exclusion. We described that the steady-state and transient-state oxygen vacancy distributions, which were used to calculate the gas-sensing characteristics of the sensor resistance and response to reducing gases under two different conditions. The gradient-distributed oxygen vacancy model had the applications in simulating the sensor performances, such as the power law, the grain size effect and the effect of depletion layer width.

Highlights: • For the first time the gassensing application of SHI irradiated epitaxial graphene on SiC is explored. • Surface morphology of irradiated graphene layers showed graphene folding, hillocks, and formation of wrinkles. • Existence of an optimal fluence which maximize the gassensing response towards NO 2 and NH 3 gases. - Abstract: In this work, surface functionalization of epitaxial graphene grown on silicon carbide was performed by ion irradiation to investigate their gassensing capabilities. Swift heavy ion irradiation using 100 MeV silver ions at four varying fluences was implemented on epitaxial graphene to investigate morphological and structural changes and their effects on the gassensing capabilities of graphene. Sensing devices are expected as one of the first electronic applications using graphene and most of them use functionalized surfaces to tailor a certain function. In our case, we have studied irradiation as a tool to achieve functionalization. Morphological and structural changes on epitaxial graphene layers were investigated by atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Raman mapping and reflectance mapping. The surface morphology of irradiated graphene layers showed graphene folding, hillocks, and formation of wrinkles at highest fluence (2 × 10 13 ions/cm 2 ). Raman spectra analysis shows that the graphene defect density is increased with increasing fluence, while Raman mapping and reflectance mapping show that there is also a reduction of monolayer graphene coverage. The samples were investigated for ammonia and nitrogen dioxide gassensing applications. Sensors fabricated on pristine and irradiated samples showed highest gassensing response at an optimal fluence. Our work provides new pathways for introducing defects in controlled manner in epitaxial graphene, which can be used not only for gassensing application but also for other applications, such as electrochemical, biosensing, magnetosensing and spintronic

Highlights: • For the first time the gassensing application of SHI irradiated epitaxial graphene on SiC is explored. • Surface morphology of irradiated graphene layers showed graphene folding, hillocks, and formation of wrinkles. • Existence of an optimal fluence which maximize the gassensing response towards NO{sub 2} and NH{sub 3} gases. - Abstract: In this work, surface functionalization of epitaxial graphene grown on silicon carbide was performed by ion irradiation to investigate their gassensing capabilities. Swift heavy ion irradiation using 100 MeV silver ions at four varying fluences was implemented on epitaxial graphene to investigate morphological and structural changes and their effects on the gassensing capabilities of graphene. Sensing devices are expected as one of the first electronic applications using graphene and most of them use functionalized surfaces to tailor a certain function. In our case, we have studied irradiation as a tool to achieve functionalization. Morphological and structural changes on epitaxial graphene layers were investigated by atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Raman mapping and reflectance mapping. The surface morphology of irradiated graphene layers showed graphene folding, hillocks, and formation of wrinkles at highest fluence (2 × 10{sup 13} ions/cm{sup 2}). Raman spectra analysis shows that the graphene defect density is increased with increasing fluence, while Raman mapping and reflectance mapping show that there is also a reduction of monolayer graphene coverage. The samples were investigated for ammonia and nitrogen dioxide gassensing applications. Sensors fabricated on pristine and irradiated samples showed highest gassensing response at an optimal fluence. Our work provides new pathways for introducing defects in controlled manner in epitaxial graphene, which can be used not only for gassensing application but also for other applications, such as electrochemical, biosensing, magnetosensing and

Thermally stimulated current (TSC), photoresponse and gassensing properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were investigated depending on heating rates, illumination and dark aging times with using sandwich type electrode system. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate by hydrothermal process. TSC measurements were performed at different heating rates under constant potential. Photoresponse and gassensing properties were investigated in dry air ambient at 200 °C. For gassensing measurements, ZnO nanorods were exposed to NO{sub 2} (100 ppb to 1 ppm) in dark and illuminated conditions and the resulting resistance transient was recorded. It was found from dark electrical measurements that the dependence of the dc conductivity on temperature followed Mott's variable range hopping (VRH) model. In addition, response time and recovery times of ZnO nanorods to NO{sub 2} gas decreased by exposing to white light.

In this work, surface functionalization of epitaxial graphene grown on silicon carbide was performed by ion irradiation to investigate their gassensing capabilities. Swift heavy ion irradiation using 100 MeV silver ions at four varying fluences was implemented on epitaxial graphene to investigate morphological and structural changes and their effects on the gassensing capabilities of graphene. Sensing devices are expected as one of the first electronic applications using graphene and most of them use functionalized surfaces to tailor a certain function. In our case, we have studied irradiation as a tool to achieve functionalization. Morphological and structural changes on epitaxial graphene layers were investigated by atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Raman mapping and reflectance mapping. The surface morphology of irradiated graphene layers showed graphene folding, hillocks, and formation of wrinkles at highest fluence (2 × 1013 ions/cm2). Raman spectra analysis shows that the graphene defect density is increased with increasing fluence, while Raman mapping and reflectance mapping show that there is also a reduction of monolayer graphene coverage. The samples were investigated for ammonia and nitrogen dioxide gassensing applications. Sensors fabricated on pristine and irradiated samples showed highest gassensing response at an optimal fluence. Our work provides new pathways for introducing defects in controlled manner in epitaxial graphene, which can be used not only for gassensing application but also for other applications, such as electrochemical, biosensing, magnetosensing and spintronic applications.

A chemiresistive gas sensor based on few-layered graphene (FLG) has been fabricated and evaluated for carbon dioxide (CO2) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensing. The electrochemical exfoliation method was used to synthesize FLG. The resulting sample of FLG was characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy with selected-area diffraction. Ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to study the optical properties. Thermal behavior was analyzed through thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis. The sensing response of the chemiresistor is defined as the ratio of resistance in gas to air at the stabilized resistance in air. The FLG chemiresistor exhibited good sensing response (3.83 for CO2, 0.92 for LPG), response time (11 s for CO2, 5 s for LPG), recovery time (14 s for CO2, 18 s for LPG), and resolution limit (3 ppm for CO2, 4 ppm for LPG), and excellent stability at room temperature. The gassensing mechanism is discussed on the basis of marginal difference in Raman intensity and also by using defect chemistry through fluorescence measurements.

Full Text Available Gas detection instruments are increasingly needed for industrial health and safety, environmental monitoring and process control. Conductive polymer composites have various industrial applications. The composite prepared by mixing carbon black with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA has very good gassensing applications. The gas sensors based on carbon nanotube/polymer, ceramic and metal oxide composites such as epoxy, polyimide, PMMA / Barium titanate and tin oxide have also been developed. In the present work, a new composite has been prepared by using PMMA and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP. The PMMA/Ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (PMADP composites PMADP 1 and PMADP 2 were characterized by using Powder XRD. The thick films of the composite on glass plates were prepared by using a spin coating unit at 9000 rpm. The application of the thick film as gas sensor has been studied between 0 and 2000 seconds. The results reveal that the thick film of PMADP composite can function as a very good gas sensor.

This report summarizes work to develop a novel distributed fiber-optic micro-sensor that is capable of detecting common fossil fuel gases in harsh environments. During the 32-month research and development (R&D) program, GE Global Research successfully synthesized sensing materials using two techniques: sol-gel based fiber surface coating and magnetron sputtering based fiber micro-sensor integration. Palladium nanocrystalline embedded silica matrix material (nc-Pd/Silica), nanocrystalline palladium oxides (nc-PdO{sub x}) and palladium alloy (nc-PdAuN{sub 1}), and nanocrystalline tungsten (nc-WO{sub x}) sensing materials were identified to have high sensitivity and selectivity to hydrogen; while the palladium doped and un-doped nanocrystalline tin oxide (nc-PdSnO{sub 2} and nc-SnO{sub 2}) materials were verified to have high sensitivity and selectivity to carbon monoxide. The fiber micro-sensor comprises an apodized long-period grating in a single-mode fiber, and the fiber grating cladding surface was functionalized by above sensing materials with a typical thickness ranging from a few tens of nanometers to a few hundred nanometers. GE found that the morphologies of such sensing nanomaterials are either nanoparticle film or nanoporous film with a typical size distribution from 5-10 nanometers. nc-PdO{sub x} and alloy sensing materials were found to be highly sensitive to hydrogen gas within the temperature range from ambient to 150 C, while nc-Pd/Silica and nc-WO{sub x} sensing materials were found to be suitable to be operated from 150 C to 500 C for hydrogen gas detection. The palladium doped and un-doped nc-SnO{sub 2} materials also demonstrated sensitivity to carbon monoxide gas at approximately 500 C. The prototyped fiber gassensing system developed in this R&D program is based on wavelength-division-multiplexing technology in which each fiber sensor is identified according to its transmission spectra features within the guiding mode and cladding modes. The

Some metal oxide semiconductors, such as tungsten trioxide or tin dioxide, are well-known as resistive transducers for gassensing and offer high sensitivities down to the part per billion level. Electrical signal read-out, however, limits the information obtained on the electronic properties of metal oxides to a certain frequency range and its application because of the required electrical contacts. Therefore, a novel approach for building an optical transducer for gas reactions utilizing metal oxide photonic crystals is presented here. By the rational design of the structure and composition it is possible to synthesize a functional material which allows one to obtain insight into its electronic properties in the optical frequency range with simple experimental measures. The concept is demonstrated by tungsten trioxide inverse opal structure as optical transducer material for hydrogen sensing. The sensing behavior is analyzed in a temperature range from room temperature to 500 °C and in a wide hydrogen concentration range (3000 ppm to 10%). The sensing mechanism is mainly the refractive index change resulting from hydrogen intercalation in tungsten trioxide, but the back reaction has also impact on the optical properties of this system. Detailed chemical reaction studies provide suggestions for specific sensing conditions.

Full Text Available The workflow of a high throughput screening setup for the rapid identification ofnew and improved sensor materials is presented. The polyol method was applied to preparenanoparticular metal oxides as base materials, which were functionalised by surface doping.Using multi-electrode substrates and high throughput impedance spectroscopy (HT-IS awide range of materials could be screened in a short time. Applying HT-IS in search of newselective gassensing materials a NO2-tolerant NO sensing material with reducedsensitivities towards other test gases was identified based on iridium doped zinc oxide.Analogous behaviour was observed for iridium doped indium oxide.

Full Text Available This work is about gas biosensing with a cytochrome c biosensor. Emphasis is put on the analysis of the sensing process and a mathematical model to make predictions about the biosensor response. Reliable predictions about biosensor responses can provide valuable information and facilitate biosensor development, particularly at an early development stage. The sensing process comprises several individual steps, such as phase partition equilibrium, intermediate reactions, mass-transport, and reaction kinetics, which take place in and between the gas and liquid phases. A quantitative description of each step was worked out and finally combined into a mathematical model. The applicability of the model was demonstrated for a particular example of methanethiol gas detection by a cytochrome c biosensor. The model allowed us to predict the optical readout response of the biosensor from tabulated data and data obtained in simple liquid phase experiments. The prediction was experimentally verified with a planar three-electrode electro-optical cytochrome c biosensor in contact with methanethiol gas in a gas tight spectroelectrochemical measurement cell.

We report the first distributed optical fibre trace-gas detection system based on photothermal interferometry (PTI) in a hollow-core photonic bandgap fibre (HC-PBF). Absorption of a modulated pump propagating in the gas-filled HC-PBF generates distributed phase modulation along the fibre, which is detected by a dual-pulse heterodyne phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) system. Quasi-distributed sensing experiment with two 28-meter-long HC-PBF sensing sections connected by single-mode transmission fibres demonstrated a limit of detection (LOD) of ∼10 ppb acetylene with a pump power level of 55 mW and an effective noise bandwidth (ENBW) of 0.01 Hz, corresponding to a normalized detection limit of 5.5ppb⋅W/Hz. Distributed sensing experiment over a 200-meter-long sensing cable made of serially connected HC-PBFs demonstrated a LOD of ∼ 5 ppm with 62.5 mW peak pump power and 11.8 Hz ENBW, or a normalized detection limit of 312ppb⋅W/Hz. The spatial resolution of the current distributed detection system is limited to ∼ 30 m, but it is possible to reduce down to 1 meter or smaller by optimizing the phase detection system.

azide and 3.2 g sodium hydroxide was taken in a Teflon autoclave containing 20 ml distilled water. Then the reaction mixture was shaken vigorously to obtain homogeneity. After the reaction period, the product was washed with deionized water, and dried overnight at 373 K to remove the weekly adsorbed water. 1557 ...

The CO sensing properties of a micro thermoelectric gas sensor (micro-TGS) with a double AuPtPd/SnO₂ and Pt/α-Al₂O₃ catalyst were investigated. While several nanometer sized Pt and Pd particles were uniformly dispersed on SnO₂, the Au particles were aggregated as particles measuring >10 nm in diameter. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) analysis of the catalyst showed a CO adsorption peak on Pt and Pd, but no clear peak corresponding to the interaction between CO and Au was detected. Up to 200 °C, CO combustion was more temperature dependent than that of H₂, while H₂ combustion was activated by repeated exposure to H₂ gas during the periodic gas test. Selective CO sensing of the micro-TGS against H₂ was attempted using a double catalyst structure with 0.3-30 wt% Pt/α-Al₂O₃ as a counterpart combustion catalyst. The sensor output of the micro-TGS decreased with increasing Pt content in the Pt/α-Al₂O₃ catalyst, by cancelling out the combustion heat from the AuPtPd/SnO₂ catalyst. In addition, the AuPtPd/SnO₂ and 0.3 wt% Pt/α-Al₂O₃ double catalyst sensor showed good and selective CO detection. We therefore demonstrated that our micro-TGS with double catalyst structure is useful for controlling the gas selectivity of CO against H₂.

The density of oxygen vacancies in semiconductor gas sensors was often assumed to be identical throughout the grain in the numerical discussion of the gas-sensing mechanism of the devices. In contrast, the actual devices had grains with inhomogeneous distribution of oxygen vacancy under non-ideal conditions. This conflict between reality and discussion drove us to study the formation and migration of the oxygen defects in semiconductor grains. A model of the gradient-distributed oxygen vacanc...

The CO sensing properties of a micro thermoelectric gas sensor (micro-TGS) with a double AuPtPd/SnO2 and Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst were investigated. While several nanometer sized Pt and Pd particles were uniformly dispersed on SnO2, the Au particles were aggregated as particles measuring >10 nm in diameter. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) analysis of the catalyst showed a CO adsorption peak on Pt and Pd, but no clear peak corresponding to the interact...

Full Text Available The CO sensing properties of a micro thermoelectric gas sensor (micro-TGS with a double AuPtPd/SnO2 and Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst were investigated. While several nanometer sized Pt and Pd particles were uniformly dispersed on SnO2, the Au particles were aggregated as particles measuring >10 nm in diameter. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT analysis of the catalyst showed a CO adsorption peak on Pt and Pd, but no clear peak corresponding to the interaction between CO and Au was detected. Up to 200 °C, CO combustion was more temperature dependent than that of H2, while H2 combustion was activated by repeated exposure to H2 gas during the periodic gas test. Selective CO sensing of the micro-TGS against H2 was attempted using a double catalyst structure with 0.3–30 wt% Pt/α-Al2O3 as a counterpart combustion catalyst. The sensor output of the micro-TGS decreased with increasing Pt content in the Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst, by cancelling out the combustion heat from the AuPtPd/SnO2 catalyst. In addition, the AuPtPd/SnO2 and 0.3 wt% Pt/α-Al2O3 double catalyst sensor showed good and selective CO detection. We therefore demonstrated that our micro-TGS with double catalyst structure is useful for controlling the gas selectivity of CO against H2.

The CO sensing properties of a micro thermoelectric gas sensor (micro-TGS) with a double AuPtPd/SnO2 and Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst were investigated. While several nanometer sized Pt and Pd particles were uniformly dispersed on SnO2, the Au particles were aggregated as particles measuring >10 nm in diameter. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) analysis of the catalyst showed a CO adsorption peak on Pt and Pd, but no clear peak corresponding to the interaction between CO and Au was detected. Up to 200 °C, CO combustion was more temperature dependent than that of H2, while H2 combustion was activated by repeated exposure to H2 gas during the periodic gas test. Selective CO sensing of the micro-TGS against H2 was attempted using a double catalyst structure with 0.3–30 wt% Pt/α-Al2O3 as a counterpart combustion catalyst. The sensor output of the micro-TGS decreased with increasing Pt content in the Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst, by cancelling out the combustion heat from the AuPtPd/SnO2 catalyst. In addition, the AuPtPd/SnO2 and 0.3 wt% Pt/α-Al2O3 double catalyst sensor showed good and selective CO detection. We therefore demonstrated that our micro-TGS with double catalyst structure is useful for controlling the gas selectivity of CO against H2. PMID:26694397

First-principle calculation was carried out to systematically investigate carbon monoxide (CO) adsorption on pristine and cobalt (Co)-doped phosphorenes (Co-bP). Whether or not CO is adsorped, pristine phosphorene is a direct-band-gap semiconductor. However, the bandgap of Co-bP experiences direct-to-indirect transition after CO molecule adsorption, which will affect optical absorption considerably, implying that Co doping can enhance the sensitivity of phosphorene as a CO gas sensor. Moreover, Co doping can improve an adsorption energy of CO to 1.31 eV, as compared with pristine phosphorene (0.12 eV), also indicating that Co-bP is energetically favorable for CO gassensing.

Full Text Available The goal of this research was to develop a chemical gassensing device based on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT networks. The SWCNT networks are synthesized on Al2O3-deposted SiO2/Si substrates with 10 nm-thick Fe as the catalyst precursor layer using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD. The development of interconnected SWCNT networks can be exploited to recognize the identities of different chemical gases by the strength of their particular surface adsorptive and desorptive responses to various types of chemical vapors. The physical responses on the surface of the SWCNT networks cause superficial changes in the electric charge that can be converted into electronic signals for identification. In this study, we tested NO2 and NH3 vapors at ppm levels at room temperature with our self-made gassensing device, which was able to obtain responses to sensitivity changes with a concentration of 10 ppm for NO2 and 24 ppm for NH3.

This work carried out research on the features of photoluminescence of the mixed and complex metal oxide nanopowders (ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/SnO2, Zn2SiO4) in vacuum and gaseous ambient. The nanopowders were obtained using pulsed laser reactive technology. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis for their sizes, shapes and collocation. The influence of gas environment on the photoluminescence intensity was investigated. A change of ambient gas composition leads to a rather significant change in the intensity of the photoluminescence spectrum and its deformation. The most significant changes in the photoluminescent spectrum were observed for mixed ZnO/TiO2 nanopowders. This obviously is the result of a redistribution of existing centers of luminescence and the appearance of new adsorption centers of luminescence on the surface of nanopowders. The investigated nanopowders can be effectively used as sensing materials for the construction of the multi-component photoluminescent sensing matrix.

ZnO nanoparticles, nanoplates and nanoflowers have been successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal route, and their microstructures and gas-sensing properties to ethanol were investigated. Among all the nanostructures, the nanoplates-assembled nanoflowers exhibited significantly higher gas-sensingperformances than the others, which may ascribe to their hierarchical architectures with large specific area and abundant spaces for gas diffusion. Furthermore, we surprisingly found that the concentration of surfactant CTAB used had an essential effect on the ultimate morphology of the hierarchical nanoflowers. We hoped our findings could be in favor of further investigations on the fabrication of perfect hierarchical architectures.

Gas sensors based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) have attracted much public attention during the past decades due to their excellent potential for applications in environmental pollution remediation, transportation industries, personal safety, biology, and medicine. Numerous efforts have therefore been devoted to improving the sensingperformance of TiO2. In those effects, the construct of nanoheterostructures is a promising tactic in gassensing modification, which shows superior sensingperformance to that of the single component-based sensors. In this review, we briefly summarize and highlight the development of TiO2-based heterostructure gassensing materials with diverse models, including semiconductor/semiconductor nanoheterostructures, noble metal/semiconductor nanoheterostructures, carbon-group-materials/semiconductor nano- heterostructures, and organic/inorganic nanoheterostructures, which have been investigated for effective enhancement of gassensing properties through the increase of sensitivity, selectivity, and stability, decrease of optimal work temperature and response/recovery time, and minimization of detectable levels. PMID:28846621

A single polyaniline nanofiber field effect transistor (FET) gas sensor fabricated by means of electrospinning was investigated to understand its sensing mechanisms and optimize its performance. We studied the morphology, field effect characteristics and gas sensitivity of conductive nanofibers. The fibers showed Schottky and Ohmic contacts based on different electrode materials. Higher applied gate voltage contributes to an increase in gas sensitivity. The nanofiber transistor showed a 7% reversible resistance change to 1 ppm NH3 with 10 V gate voltage. The FET characteristics of the sensor when exposed to different gas concentrations indicate that adsorption of NH3 molecules reduces the carrier mobility in the polyaniline nanofiber. As such, nanofiber-based sensors could be promising for environmental and industrial applications. PMID:22163969

On the basis of first principles calculations, we study the adsorption of CO, CO2, NH3, NO, and NO2 molecules on armchair and zigzag blue phosphorus nanotubes. The nanotubes are found to surpass the gassensingperformance of other one-dimensional materials, in particular Si nanowires and carbon nanotubes, and two-dimensional materials, in particular graphene, phosphorene, and MoS2. Investigation of the energetics of the gas adsorption and induced charge transfers indicates that blue phosphorus nanotubes are highly sensitive to N-based molecules, in particular NO2, due to covalent bonding. The current–voltage characteristics of nanotubes connected to Au electrodes are derived by the non-equilibrium Green\\'s function formalism and used to quantitatively evaluate the change in resistivity upon gas adsorption. The observed selectivity and sensitivity properties make blue phosphorus nanotubes superior gas sensors for a wide range of applications.

Nanostructured copper oxide (CuO) films were grown on portable IDE circuit silicon-based by low-cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at three different deposition times (3 h, 5 h and 7 h). The effect of deposition times on the morphological, structural, optical and sensing properties of the nanostructured films were investigated. From the morphological and structural properties, the nanostructured film deposited at 5 h was found to have homogenous surface of CuO nanowhiskers and high crystallinity with tenorite phase compared to 3 h and 7 h films. Besides, there is no heat treatment required in order to produce CuO nanostructures film with tenorite phase. The sensing response (resistance changes) of as-synthesized films to concentration of oxygen (O2) gas also was compared. Film resistance of CuO nanostructures was studied in an environment of dry air loaded (gas sensor chamber) with 30 % of O2 gas. The results revealed that the deposition time causes significant effect on the sensingperformance of nanostructured CuO to O2 gas.

This work presents a new lidar technique for atmospheric remote sensing based on Scheimpflug principle, which describes the relationship between nonparallel image- and object-planes[1]. When a laser beam is transmitted into the atmosphere, the implication is that the backscattering echo of the entire illuminated probe volume can be in focus simultaneously without diminishing the aperture. The range-resolved backscattering echo can be retrieved by using a tilted line scan or two-dimensional CCD/CMOS camera. Rather than employing nanosecond-pulsed lasers, cascade detectors, and MHz signal sampling, all of high cost and complexity, we have developed a robust and inexpensive atmospheric lidar system based on compact laser diodes and array detectors. We present initial applications of the Scheimpflug lidar for atmospheric aerosol monitoring in bright sunlight, with a 3 W, 808 nm CW laser diode. Kilohertz sampling rates are also achieved with applications for wind speed and entomology [2]. Further, a proof-of-principle demonstration of differential absorption lidar (DIAL) based on the Scheimpflug lidar technique is presented [3]. By utilizing a 30 mW narrow band CW laser diode emitting at around 760 nm, the detailed shape of an oxygen absorption line can be resolved remotely with an integration time of 6 s and measurement cycle of 1 minute during night time. The promising results demonstrated in this work show potential for the Scheimpflug lidar technique for remote atmospheric aerosol and gassensing, and renews hope for robust and realistic instrumentation for atmospheric lidar sensing. [1] F. Blais, "Review of 20 years of range sensor development," Journal of Electronic Imaging, vol. 13, pp. 231-243, Jan 2004. [2] M. Brydegaard, A. Gebru, and S. Svanberg, "Super resolution laser radar with blinking atmospheric particles - application to interacting flying insects " Progress In Electromagnetics Research, vol. 147, pp. 141-151, 2014. [3] L. Mei and M. Brydegaard

Full Text Available The electrostatically formed nanowire (EFN gas sensor is based on a multiple-gate field-effect transistor with a conducting nanowire, which is not defined physically; rather, the nanowire is defined electrostatically post-fabrication, by using appropriate biasing of the different surrounding gates. The EFN is fabricated by using standard silicon processing technologies with relaxed design rules and, thereby, supports the realization of a low-cost and robust gas sensor, suitable for mass production. Although the smallest lithographic definition is higher than half a micrometer, appropriate tuning of the biasing of the gates concludes a conducting channel with a tunable diameter, which can transform the conducting channel into a nanowire with a diameter smaller than 20 nm. The tunable size and shape of the nanowire elicits tunable sensing parameters, such as sensitivity, limit of detection, and dynamic range, such that a single EFN gas sensor can perform with high sensitivity and a broad dynamic range by merely changing the biasing configuration. The current work reviews the design of the EFN gas sensor, its fabrication considerations and process flow, means of electrical characterization, and preliminary sensingperformance at room temperature, underlying the unique and advantageous tunable capability of the device.

This study presents a detailed analysis of producing gas-oil ratio performance characteristics from conventional reservoir to unconventional reservoir. Numerical simulations of various reservoir fluid systems are included for comparison. In a wide sense of the word, the term of unconventional reservoir is including tight gas sand, coal bed methane, gas hydrate deposits, heavy oil gas shale and etc. In this study we specify the unconventional reservoir to only mean the low and ultra low permea...

H2S gassensing properties of BST ((Ba0.67Sr0.33)TiO3) thick films are reported here for the first time. BST ceramic powder was prepared by mechanochemical ... of activators on H2S gassensing were discussed. The sensitivity, selectivity, stability, response and recovery time of the sensor were measured and presented.

Full Text Available A compact instrument consisting of a distributed feedback laser (DFB at 1.65 μm was developed as a light source for gassensing systems using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS technique. The wavelength of laser is tuned by adjusting the laser working temperature and injection current, which are performed by self-developed temperature controller and current modulator respectively. Stability test shows the fluctuation of the laser temperature is within the range of ±0.02°C. For gas detection experiments, the wavelength is tuned around the gas absorption line by adjusting laser temperature and is then shifted periodically to scan across the absorption line by the laser current modulator, which generates a 10 Hz saw wave signal. In addition, the current modulator is able to generate sine wave signal for gassensing systems using wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS technique involving extraction of harmonic signals. The spectrum test proves good stability that the spectrum was measured 6 times every 10 minutes at the constant temperature and current condition. This standalone instrument can be applied as a light source for detection systems of different gases by integrating lasers at corresponding wavelength.

Gassensingperformance can be improved significantly by the increase in both the effective gas exposure area and the surface reactivitiy of ZnO nanorods. Here, we propose aligned hierarchical Ag/ZnO nano-heterostructure arrays (h-Ag/ZnO-NAs) via electrohydrodynamic nanowire template, together with a subsequent hydrothermal synthesis and photoreduction reaction. The h-Ag/ZnO-NAs scatter at top for higher specific surface areas with the air, simultaneously contact at root for the electrical conduction. Besides, the ZnO nanorods are uniformly coated with dispersed Ag nanoparticles, resulting in a tremendous enhancement of the surface reactivity. Compared with pure ZnO, such h-Ag/ZnO-NAs exhibit lower electrical resistance and faster responses. Moreover, they demonstrate enhanced NO 2 gassensing properties. Self-assembly via electrohydrodynamic nanowire template paves a new way for the preparation of high performancegas sensors.

Wormhole-like mesoporous tin oxide was synthesized via a facile evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method, and the gas-sensing properties were evaluated for different target gases. The effect of calcination temperature on gas-sensing properties of mesoporous tin oxide was investigated. The results demonstrate that the mesoporous tin oxide sensor calcined at 400 °C exhibits remarkable selectivity to ethanol vapors comparison with other target gases and has a good performance in the operating temperature and response/recovery time. This might be attributed to their high specific surface area and porous structure, which can provide more active sites and generate more chemisorbed oxygen spices to promote the diffusion and adsorption of gas molecules on the surface of the gas-sensing material. A possible formation mechanism of the mesoporous tin oxide and the enhanced gas-sensing mechanism are proposed. The mesoporous tin oxide shows prospective detecting application in the gas sensor fields.

Wormhole-like mesoporous tin oxide was synthesized via a facile evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method, and the gas-sensing properties were evaluated for different target gases. The effect of calcination temperature on gas-sensing properties of mesoporous tin oxide was investigated. The results demonstrate that the mesoporous tin oxide sensor calcined at 400 °C exhibits remarkable selectivity to ethanol vapors comparison with other target gases and has a good performance in the operating temperature and response/recovery time. This might be attributed to their high specific surface area and porous structure, which can provide more active sites and generate more chemisorbed oxygen spices to promote the diffusion and adsorption of gas molecules on the surface of the gas-sensing material. A possible formation mechanism of the mesoporous tin oxide and the enhanced gas-sensing mechanism are proposed. The mesoporous tin oxide shows prospective detecting application in the gas sensor fields.

Semiconducting metal oxide gas sensors have attracted growing interest as a result of their outstanding performance in the bio and industrial applications. Nevertheless, the sensing mechanism is yet not totally understood. In this study, we extensively investigate the adsorption mechanism of acetone molecule on ZnO-based thin film sensors by performing ab initio density functional theory calculations and employing quantum molecular dynamic simulations. Since the sensitivity of a metal oxide sensor is exceedingly depends on molecular oxygen exposure and operating temperature, we explore the competitive adsorption of acetone and oxygen molecule on the most stable orientation of ZnO surface (10 1 ̅ 0) at different temperatures. Results indicate that at elevated temperatures acetone gains required thermal energy to remove preadsorbed oxygen molecule from the surface in a competitive process. We will show that this competition is responsible for the resistive switching behavior in the ZnO-based gas sensors.

Full Text Available The terahertz (THz spectral region, covering frequencies from 1 to 10 THz, is highly interesting for chemical sensing. The energy of rotational and vibrational transitions of molecules lies within this frequency range. Therefore, chemical fingerprints can be derived, allowing for a simple detection scheme. Here, we present an optical sensor based on active photonic crystals (PhCs, i.e., the pillars are fabricated directly from an active THz quantum-cascade laser medium. The individual pillars are pumped electrically leading to laser emission at cryogenic temperatures. There is no need to couple light into the resonant structure because the PhC itself is used as the light source. An injected gas changes the resonance condition of the PhC and thereby the laser emission frequency. We achieve an experimental frequency shift of 10−3 times the center lasing frequency. The minimum detectable refractive index change is 1.6 × 10−5 RIU.

The null space condition for ℓ 1 minimization in compressed sensing is a necessary and sufficient condition on the sensing matrices under which a sparse signal can be uniquely recovered from the observation data via ℓ 1 minimization. However, verifying the null space condition is known to be computationally challenging. Most of the existing methods can provide only upper and lower bounds on the proportion parameter that characterizes the null space condition. In this paper, we propose new polynomial-time algorithms to establish upper bounds of the proportion parameter. We leverage on these techniques to find upper bounds and further develop a new procedure-tree search algorithm-that is able to precisely and quickly verify the null space condition. Numerical experiments show that the execution speed and accuracy of the results obtained from our methods far exceed those of the previous methods which rely on linear programming (LP) relaxation and semidefinite programming (SDP).

Full Text Available Tin oxide-based thin films are deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technology, in which Cu addition is introduced to enhance the gassensingperformance by H2S detection. The thin films are porous and comprise nano-sized crystallites. One of the Cu-containing thin film sensors demonstrates a fast and significant response to H2S gas. The values of power law exponent n are calculated to discuss the sensitivity of the sensors, which is significantly promoted by Cu additive. The sensitivity of Cu-doped SnO2 gas sensors is determined by two mechanisms. One is the normal gassensing mechanism of SnO2 grains, and the other is the promoted mechanism caused by the transformation between CuO and CuS in the H2S detection. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.2.12917

For chemi-resistive thin film gas sensors a generic theoretical model is proposed to predict the variation of sensor response with the operating temperature and thickness of the sensing film. A diffusion equation is formulated assuming that inflammable target gases move through the sensing film by Knudsen diffusion and react with the adsorbed oxygen following first-order kinetics. We have assumed a realistic non-linear variation between the conductance and test gas concentration and derived a general expression relating the sensor response to the operating temperature and thickness of the film. Assuming Langmuir adsorption kinetics, we have theoretically predicted the response and recovery transients during gassensing using thin film sensing elements. It is predicted that for irreversible type sensing, the response time is reduced with an increase in test gas concentration, whereas for reversible sensing, the response time is independent of test gas concentration. For zinc oxide thin film sensors, an excellent match is obtained between the model prediction and experimental data for their thickness (122 nm to 380 nm) and temperature variation (200 °C to 325 °C) in 500 ppm carbon monoxide (CO) sensing. The maximum CO response% (∼53%) was achieved in 320 nm thick ZnO films. The conductance transients for response and recovery for CO sensing closely follow Langmuir adsorption kinetics and as predicted theoretically, indeed for irreversible sensing, the response time reduces from 350 s to 220 s with an increase in test gas concentration from 20 to 550 ppm. In the case of reversible sensing we found that the response time is ∼55 s irrespective of the CO gas concentration in the range of 5-500 ppm. The models developed in the present work are quite generic in nature and we have discussed their applicability to a wide variety of sensing materials with various types of surface morphologies.

Highlights: • We use glycol and deionized water as solvent jointly. • Our products have good selectivity and excellent response to acetic acid. • We obtain different morphologies’ hierarchical SnO{sub 2} nanoflowers through changing the volume ratio of glycol and deionized water. - Abstract: Different morphologies hierarchical flower-like tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2}) nanostructures were fabricated by changing the volume ratio of glycol and de-ionized water (V{sub g}:V{sub w} = 0, 1:2, 1:1 and 2:1) under a template-free and low-cost hydrothermal method and subsequent calcinations. The architectures, morphologies and gassensingperformances of the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and gas-sensing measurement device. It can be observed that all the nanoflowers were composed of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, and the thickness of nanosheets is only about 9 nm when V{sub g}:V{sub w} = 1:1. The sensor based on the product of V{sub g}:V{sub w} = 1:1 exhibited excellent gassensingperformance toward 500 ppm acetic acid at 260 °C, and the response value of this sensor was about 153.6, which was above 7.5 times higher than that of ammonia (about 20.3). In addition, the 3D flower-like SnO{sub 2} nanostructures exhibited not only high response and selectivity to ppm level acetone, but also fast response and recovery time within 10 s, demonstrating it can be used as a potential candidate for detecting acetic acid. Finally, the possible formation mechanism was proposed, too.

Zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles (NPs), synthesized using a facile and cost-effective sol-gel auto-combustion method, were irradiated with 2 and 5 kGy γ-doses using 60Co as a radioactive source. Effect of γ-irradiation on the structure, morphology, pore-size and pore-volume and room-temperature (300 K) gas sensor performance has been measured and reported. Both as-synthesized and γ-irradiated ZnFe2O4 NPs reveal remarkable gas sensor activity to ammonia in contrast to methanol, ethanol, acetone and toluene volatile organic gases. The responses of pristine, 2 and 5 kGy γ-irradiated ZnFe2O4 NPs are respectively 55%, 66% and 81% @100 ppm concentration of ammonia, signifying an importance of γ-irradiation for enhancing the sensitivity, selectivity and stability of ZnFe2O4 NPs as ammonia gas sensors. Thereby, due to increase in surface area and crystallinity on γ-doses, the γ-irradiation improves the room-temperature ammonia gassensingperformance of ZnFe2O4.

Airborne imaging spectroscopy has evolved dramatically since the 1980s as a robust remote sensing technique used to generate 2-dimensional maps of surface properties over large spatial areas. Traditional applications for passive airborne imaging spectroscopy include interrogation of surface composition, such as mapping of vegetation diversity and surface geological composition. Two recent applications are particularly relevant to the needs of both the oil and gas as well as government sectors: quantification of surficial hydrocarbon thickness in aquatic environments and mapping atmospheric greenhouse gas components. These techniques provide valuable capabilities for petroleum seepage in addition to detection and quantification of fugitive emissions. New empirical data that provides insight into the source strength of anthropogenic methane will be reviewed, with particular emphasis on the evolving constraints enabled by new methane remote sensing techniques. Contemporary studies attribute high-strength point sources as significantly contributing to the national methane inventory and underscore the need for high performance remote sensing technologies that provide quantitative leak detection. Imaging sensors that map spatial distributions of methane anomalies provide effective techniques to detect, localize, and quantify fugitive leaks. Airborne remote sensing instruments provide the unique combination of high spatial resolution (<1 m) and large coverage required to directly attribute methane emissions to individual emission sources. This capability cannot currently be achieved using spaceborne sensors. In this study, results from recent NASA remote sensing field experiments focused on point-source leak detection, will be highlighted. This includes existing quantitative capabilities for oil and methane using state-of-the-art airborne remote sensing instruments. While these capabilities are of interest to NASA for assessment of environmental impact and global climate

TiO2-based mixed metal oxide heteronanostructures have multiple applications in photocatalysis and gassensing because of their charge transport properties. In this study, we prepared tetragonal TiO2/SnO2 nanocomposites (NCs) with different weight percentages using a simple wet impregnation method. The physicochemical properties of the NCs were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis. The results showed that the surface area of the NCs increased significantly and the anatase TiO2 was sensitized after the addition of a small amount of cassiterite SnO2 NPs. We systematically studied the as-prepared NCs during the photocatalytic degradation of Congo Red dye under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) and NH3 gassensing, which demonstrated the efficient photocatalytic performance and the superior sensing response of the catalyst with a weight composition of 25% SnO2 in TiO2 (4:1) compared with the other NCs or the bare individual nanoparticles. The improved photocatalytic and gassensingperformance of the TiO2/SnO2 (4:1) NCs may be attributed to the increased active surface area, the increased adsorption of the dye and target gas molecules, as well as efficient electron-hole charge separation and transfer.

Full Text Available Manipulation of electrical properties and hence gassensing properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by filling the inner wall with vanadium oxide is presented. Using a simple capillary technique, MWNTs are filled with vanadium metal...

The crystal structure of graphene flakes is expected to significantly affect their sensing properties. Here we report an experimental investigation on the crystalline structure of graphene aimed at exploring the effects on the gassensing properties. The morphology of graphene, prepared via Chemical

Full Text Available . Methane is the predominant gas, although often associated with other hydrocarbons and hydrogen. The geological origins of methane can be determined by isotopic analysis of the carbon and hydrogen in the methane, with the carbon isotope 13C the main... by SINTEF [1] and GasSecure [2] for the oil and gas sector to the mining sector in South Africa. This gas detector falls in the category of infrared sensors. It is the first wireless infrared hydrocarbon gas detector to operate on battery power as well...

Full Text Available Gas environment detection has become more urgent and significant, for both industrial manufacturing and environment monitoring. Gas sensors based on a catalytically-sensing mechanism are one of the most important types of devices for gas detection, and have been of great interest during the past decades. However, even though many efforts have contributed to this area, some great challenges still remain, such as the development of sensitively and selectively sensing catalysts. In this review, two representative catalysis-based gas sensors, cataluminescent and conductometric sensors, the basis of optical and electric signal acquisition, respectively, are summarized comprehensively. The current challenges have been presented. Recent research progress on the working mechanism, sensing nanomaterials, and applications reported by our group and some other researchers have been discussed systematically. The future trends and prospects of the catalysis-based gas sensors have also been presented.

Full Text Available Conductometric gas sensors made of gas permeable metal oxide ultrathin membranes can combine the functions of a selective filter, preconcentrator, and sensing element and thus can be particularly promising for the active sampling of diluted analytes. Here we report a case study of the electron transport and gassensing properties of such a membrane made of nanoporous Ta2O5. These membranes demonstrated a noticeable chemical sensitivity toward ammonia, ethanol, and acetone at high temperatures above 400 °C. Different from traditional thin films, such gas permeable, ultrathin gassensing elements can be made suspended enabling advanced architectures of ultrasensitive analytical systems operating at high temperatures and in harsh environments.

Intelligent sensing and control is a multidisciplinary approach that attempts to build adequate sensing capability, knowledge of process physics, control capability, and welding engineering into the welding system such that the welding machine is aware of the state of the weld and knows how to make a good weld. The sensing and control technology should reduce the burden on the welder and welding engineer while providing the great adaptability needed to accommodate the variability found in the production world. This approach, accomplished with application of AI techniques, breaks the tradition of separate development of procedure and control technology

A microflame-based detector suit has been developed for sensing of a broad range of chemical analytes. This detector combines calorimetry, flame ionization detection (FID), nitrogen-phosphorous detection (NPD) and flame photometric detection (FPD) modes into one convenient platform based on a microcombustor. The microcombustor consists in a micromachined microhotplate with a catalyst or low-work function material added to its surface. For the NPD mode a low work function material selectively ionizes chemical analytes; for all other modes a supported catalyst such as platinum/alumina is used. The microcombustor design permits rapid, efficient heating of the deposited film at low power. To perform calorimetric detection of analytes, the change in power required to maintain the resistive microhotplate heater at a constant temperature is measured. For FID and NPD modes, electrodes are placed around the microcombustor flame zone and an electrometer circuit measures the production of ions. For FPD, the flame zone is optically interrogated to search for light emission indicative of deexcitation of flame-produced analyte compounds. The calorimetric and FID modes respond generally to all hydrocarbons, while sulfur compounds only alarm in the calorimetric mode, providing speciation. The NPD mode provides 10,000:1 selectivity of nitrogen and phosphorous compounds over hydrocarbons. The FPD can distinguish between sulfur and phosphorous compounds. Importantly all detection modes can be established on one convenient microcombustor platform, in fact the calorimetric, FID and FPD modes can be achieved simultaneously on only one microcombustor. Therefore, it is possible to make a very universal chemical detector array with as little as two microcombustor elements. A demonstration of the performance of the microcombustor in each of the detection modes is provided herein.

ZnO nanofibers are synthesized by an electrospinning method and characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two types of gas sensors are fabricated by loading these nanofibers as the sensing materials and their performances are investigated in detail. Compared with the sensors based on traditional ceramic tubes with Au electrodes (traditional sensors), the sensors fabricated by spinning ZnO nanofibers on ceramic planes with Ag-Pd electrodes (plane sensors) exhibit much higher sensing properties. The sensitivity for the plane sensors is about 30 to 100 ppm ethanol at 300°C, while the value is only 13 for the traditional sensors. The response and recovery times are about 2 and 3s for the plane sensors and are 3 and 6s for the traditional sensors, respectively. Lower minimum-detection-limit is also found for the plane sensors. These improvements are explained by considering the morphological damage in the fabricating process for traditional sensors. The results suggest that the plane sensors are more suitable to sensing investigation for higher veracity.

Performance is an important criteria to consider before switching from a wired network to a wireless sensing network. Performance is especially important in geophysical sensing where the quality of the sensing system is measured by the precision of the acquired signal. Can a wireless sensing network maintain the same reliability and quality metrics that a wired system provides? Our work focuses on evaluating the wireless GeoMote sensor motes that were developed by previous computer science graduate students at Mines. Specifically, we conducted a set of experiments, namely WalkAway and Linear Array experiments, to characterize the performance of the wireless motes. The motes were also equipped with the Sticking Heartbeat Aperture Resynchronization Protocol (SHARP), a time synchronization protocol developed by a previous computer science graduate student at Mines. This protocol should automatically synchronize the mote's internal clocks and reduce time synchronization errors. We also collected passive data to evaluate the response of GeoMotes to various frequency components associated with the seismic waves. With the data collected from these experiments, we evaluated the performance of the SHARP protocol and compared the performance of our GeoMote wireless system against the industry standard wired seismograph system (Geometric-Geode). Using arrival time analysis and seismic velocity calculations, we set out to answer the following question. Can our wireless sensing system (GeoMotes) perform similarly to a traditional wired system in a realistic scenario?

Hierarchical heterostructures consisting of W 18 O 49 nanowires grown on CuO nanowires have been prepared and studied for their gassensing properties. SEM images show that W 18 O 49 initially grow as an shell over core CuO nanowire with protusion like branches whose thickness depends on oxygen partial pressure. These CuO:W 18 O 49 structures were dielectrophoretically isolated and studied for their gassensing properties. The results show potential of use of tailored hierarchical heterostructures for the fabrication of gas sensors.

A system for sensing particulate in a combustion gas stream is disclosed. The system transmits light into a combustion gas stream, and thereafter detects a portion of the transmitted light as scattered light in an amount corresponding to the amount of particulates in the emissions. Purge gas may be supplied adjacent the light supply and the detector to reduce particles in the emissions from coating or otherwise compromising the transmission of light into the emissions and recovery of scattered light from the emissions.

Full Text Available Detection of decomposition products of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 is one of the best ways to diagnose early latent insulation faults in gas-insulated equipment, and the occurrence of sudden accidents can be avoided effectively by finding early latent faults. Recently, functionalized graphene, a kind of gassensing material, has been reported to show good application prospects in the gas sensor field. Therefore, calculations were performed to analyze the gassensing properties of intrinsic graphene (Int-graphene and functionalized graphene-based material, Ag-decorated graphene (Ag-graphene, for decomposition products of SF6, including SO2F2, SOF2, and SO2, based on density functional theory (DFT. We thoroughly investigated a series of parameters presenting gas-sensing properties of adsorbing process about gas molecule (SO2F2, SOF2, SO2 and double gas molecules (2SO2F2, 2SOF2, 2SO2 on Ag-graphene, including adsorption energy, net charge transfer, electronic state density, and the highest and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. The results showed that the Ag atom significantly enhances the electrochemical reactivity of graphene, reflected in the change of conductivity during the adsorption process. SO2F2 and SO2 gas molecules on Ag-graphene presented chemisorption, and the adsorption strength was SO2F2 > SO2, while SOF2 absorption on Ag-graphene was physical adsorption. Thus, we concluded that Ag-graphene showed good selectivity and high sensitivity to SO2F2. The results can provide a helpful guide in exploring Ag-graphene material in experiments for monitoring the insulation status of SF6-insulated equipment based on detecting decomposition products of SF6.

Weakly electric fish emit an AC electric field into the water and use thousands of sensors on the skin to detect field perturbations due to surrounding objects. The fish's active electrosensory system allows them to navigate and hunt, using separate neural pathways and receptors for resistive and capacitive perturbations. We have previously developed a sensing method inspired by the weakly electric fish to detect resistive perturbations and now report on an extension of this system to detect capacitive perturbations as well. In our method, an external object is probed by an AC field over multiple frequencies. We present a quantitative framework that relates the response of a capacitive object at multiple frequencies to the object's composition and internal structure, and we validate this framework with an electrosense robot that implements our capacitive sensing method. We define a metric for comparing the electrosensory range of different underwater electrosense systems. For detecting non-conductive objects, we show that capacitive sensingperforms better than resistive sensing by almost an order of magnitude using this measure, while for conductive objects there is a four-fold increase in performance. Capacitive sensing could therefore provide electric fish with extended sensing range for capacitive objects such as prey, and gives artificial electrolocation systems enhanced range for targets that are capacitive.

A highly active tannin doped polyaniline-TiO₂ composite ammonia gas sensor was developed and the mechanism behind the gassensing activity was reported for the first time. A tanninsulfonic acid doped polyaniline (TANIPANI)-titanium dioxide nanocomposite was synthesized by an in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of tanninsulfonic acid and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were utilized to determine the incorporation of TiO₂ in TANIPANI matrix. UV-Visible and infrared spectroscopy studies provided information about the electronic interactions among tannin, polyaniline, and TiO₂. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface analysis techniques were used to investigate the metal oxide dispersions inside polyaniline matrix. Gas sensors were prepared by spin coating solutions of TANIPANI-TiO₂ and TANIPANI composites onto glass slides. Sensors were tested at three different concentrations (20 ppm, 40 ppm, and 60 ppm) of ammonia gas at ambient temperature conditions by measuring the changes in surface resistivity of the films with respect to time. Ammonia gassensing plots are presented showing the response values, response times and recovery times. The TANIPANI-TiO₂ composite exhibited better response and shorter recovery times when compared to TANIPANI control and other polyaniline composites that have been reported in the literature. For the first time a proposed mechanism of gassensing basing on the polaron band localization and its effects on the gassensing behavior of polyaniline are reported.

Full Text Available One of the most common limits to gas sensor performance is the presence of unwanted interference fringes arising, for example, from multiple reflections between surfaces in the optical path. Additionally, since the amplitude and the frequency of these interferences depend on the distance and alignment of the optical elements, they are affected by temperature changes and mechanical disturbances, giving rise to a drift of the signal. In this work, we present a novel semi-parametric algorithm that allows the extraction of a signal, like the spectroscopic absorption line of a gas molecule, from a background containing arbitrary disturbances, without having to make any assumption on the functional form of these disturbances. The algorithm is applied first to simulated data and then to oxygen absorption measurements in the presence of strong fringes.To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the algorithm enables an unprecedented accuracy particularly if the fringes have a free spectral range and amplitude comparable to those of the signal to be detected. The described method presents the advantage of being based purely on post processing, and to be of extremely straightforward implementation if the functional form of the Fourier transform of the signal is known. Therefore, it has the potential to enable interference-immune absorption spectroscopy. Finally, its relevance goes beyond absorption spectroscopy for gassensing, since it can be applied to any kind of spectroscopic data.

One of the most common limits to gas sensor performance is the presence of unwanted interference fringes arising, for example, from multiple reflections between surfaces in the optical path. Additionally, since the amplitude and the frequency of these interferences depend on the distance and alignment of the optical elements, they are affected by temperature changes and mechanical disturbances, giving rise to a drift of the signal. In this work, we present a novel semi-parametric algorithm that allows the extraction of a signal, like the spectroscopic absorption line of a gas molecule, from a background containing arbitrary disturbances, without having to make any assumption on the functional form of these disturbances. The algorithm is applied first to simulated data and then to oxygen absorption measurements in the presence of strong fringes.To the best of the authors' knowledge, the algorithm enables an unprecedented accuracy particularly if the fringes have a free spectral range and amplitude comparable to those of the signal to be detected. The described method presents the advantage of being based purely on post processing, and to be of extremely straightforward implementation if the functional form of the Fourier transform of the signal is known. Therefore, it has the potential to enable interference-immune absorption spectroscopy. Finally, its relevance goes beyond absorption spectroscopy for gassensing, since it can be applied to any kind of spectroscopic data.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The gas sensor in the PLSS of the ISS EMU will meet its projected life in 2020, and NASA is planning to replace it. At present, only high TRL devices based on...

AuNPs) .... Fisher Scientific. The analyte gas molecules selected in the present work were benzene, toluene, chloroform and dichloromethane (DCM) because of their toxicity and ..... [24] Yang D 2011 Advances in nanocomposites—synthesis, char-.

In present work the nano-structured pure ZrO 2 thin films were prepared using spray pyrolysis techniques. The aqueous solution of ZrCl 4 , was used as a precursor with flow rate controlled 5 mI/min. The films were synthesized on glass substrate between temperature 250-400℃ and subjected to different analytical characterization like SEM, XRD, TEM, FTIR, UV, TGA-DTA/DSC. The gassensingperformances of various gases were tested in different operating temperature range. The sensitivity, selectivity, response and recovery time for H 2 S gas was discussed. Also nano structured grain size discussed. (author)

A systematic time-resolved energy dispersive x-ray reflectometry study was performed in situ on Ruthenium Phthalocyanine thin fims to estimate the morphological detection limits of this material as NO 2 transducer and the influence of the gas concentration on the gas-film interaction mechanisms. The work validates the use of this unconventional method--based on the observation of the morphological parameters change--for evaluating the response of novel sensing materials in alternative to more standard procedures. Indeed, the morphological monitoring is shown to be sensitive to the gas concentration in a range comparable to the usual electroresistive measurements. Moreover, while the latter is only able to give the information on whether the gas is interacting with the sensor, the former is also able to discriminate among interaction processes of a different nature (in the present case the interaction limited to the film surface and the one involving the material bulk)

Oxygen defects have been considered to play an important role on the gassensing properties of the sensor. In this work, oxygen vacancies are produced by quenching the commercial SnO{sub 2} and characterized by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), adsorption and impedance spectra. Impedance spectra indicate that the quenched samples have a significant increase in conductivities, as well as a large reduction in activation energy from 1.14(1) to 0.20(1) eV, with the quenching temperature increasing. Furthermore, the gas sensors based on quenched SnO{sub 2} are prepared and gassensing experiments give strong evidence that the oxygen vacancies enhance the sensor performances. By increasing the concentration of oxygen vacancies, the sensor displays a higher response toward ethanol (100 ppm) at 300 °C. - Highlights: • Oxygen defects are produced by quenching the commercial SnO{sub 2}. • The direct influence of oxygen defects on the gassensing properties is studied. • The sensor based on SnO{sub 2} with oxygen vacancies displays a higher response toward ethanol.

Metallic nanostructures possess plasmonic resonances that spatially confine light on the nanometre scale. In the ultimate limit of a single nanostructure, the electromagnetic field can be strongly concentrated in a volume of only a few hundred nm(3) or less. This optical nanofocus is ideal for plasmonic sensing. Any object that is brought into this single spot will influence the optical nanostructure resonance with its dielectric properties. Here, we demonstrate antenna-enhanced hydrogen sensing at the single-particle level. We place a single palladium nanoparticle near the tip region of a gold nanoantenna and detect the changing optical properties of the system on hydrogen exposure by dark-field microscopy. Our method avoids any inhomogeneous broadening and statistical effects that would occur in sensors based on nanoparticle ensembles. Our concept paves the road towards the observation of single catalytic processes in nanoreactors and biosensing on the single-molecule level.

Novel monolithic widely tunable laser diodes in the 2.1μm wavelength region based on GaSb / AlGaAsSb are presented. Using the concept of a lateral binary superimposed (BSG) grating structures and multisegment Verniertuning, stable single-mode output is realized at discrete wavelength channels in the 2060 nm - 2140 nm region. A total tuning above 80 nm in six channels is demonstrated. In every wavelength channel, the output wavelength can be tuned by current and temperature. Each wavelength channel offers up to 6 nm of mode hop free tuning, making this novel widely tunable laser highly attractive as a monolithic light source for multiple-gassensing or liquid detection purposes. The wavelength channels can be arbitrarily placed within the material gain allowing BSG lasers to sweep e.g. over several gas absorption line within 80 nm. Within a wavelength channel, the widely tunable lasers show DFB like spectral performance with average side-mode suppression-ratios above 40 dB, output power of up to 15 mW at 25°C. Also temperature and current tuning coefficients are comparable to those of DFB lasers. This paper will present an overview of laser concept, performance data and applications.

A comparison is made between SnO(2), ZnO, and TiO(2) single-crystal nanowires and SnO(2) polycrystalline nanofibers for gassensing. Both nanostructures possess a one-dimensional morphology. Different synthesis methods are used to produce these materials: thermal evaporation-condensation (TEC), controlled oxidation, and electrospinning. Advantages and limitations of each technique are listed. Practical issues associated with harvesting, purification, and integration of these materials into sensing devices are detailed. For comparison to the nascent form, these sensing materials are surface coated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles. Gassensing tests, with respect to H(2), are conducted at ambient and elevated temperatures. Comparative normalized responses and time constants for the catalyst and noncatalyst systems provide a basis for identification of the superior metal-oxide nanostructure and catalyst combination. With temperature-dependent data, Arrhenius analyses are made to determine activation energies for the catalyst-assisted systems.

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to study the role of nanocrystalline TiO2/SnO2 n–n heterojunctions for hydrogen sensing. Nanopowders of pure SnO2, 90 mol % SnO2/10 mol % TiO2, 10 mol % SnO2/90 mol % TiO2 and pure TiO2 have been obtained using flame spray synthesis (FSS. The samples have been characterized by BET, XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, Mössbauer effect and impedance spectroscopy. Gas-sensing experiments have been performed for H2 concentrations of 1–3000 ppm at 200–400 °C. The nanomaterials are well-crystallized, anatase TiO2, rutile TiO2 and cassiterite SnO2 polymorphic forms are present depending on the chemical composition of the powders. The crystallite sizes from XRD peak analysis are within the range of 3–27 nm. Tin exhibits only the oxidation state 4+. The H2 detection threshold for the studied TiO2/SnO2 heterostructures is lower than 1 ppm especially in the case of SnO2-rich samples. The recovery time of SnO2-based heterostructures, despite their large responses over the whole measuring range, is much longer than that of TiO2-rich samples at higher H2 flows. TiO2/SnO2 heterostructures can be intentionally modified for the improved H2 detection within both the small (1–50 ppm and the large (50–3000 ppm concentration range. The temperature Tmax at which the semiconducting behavior begins to prevail upon water desorption/oxygen adsorption depends on the TiO2/SnO2 composition. The electrical resistance of sensing materials exhibits a power-law dependence on the H2 partial pressure. This allows us to draw a conclusion about the first step in the gassensing mechanism related to the adsorption of oxygen ions at the surface of nanomaterials.

Anatase hierarchical TiO2 with innovative designs (hollow microspheres with exposed high-energy {001} crystal facets, hollow microspheres without {001} crystal facets, and solid microspheres without {001} crystal facets) were synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method and characterized. Based on these materials, gas sensors were fabricated and used for gas-sensing tests. It was found that the sensor based on hierarchical TiO2 hollow microspheres with exposed high-energy {001} crystal facets exhibited enhanced acetone sensing properties compared to the sensors based on the other two materials due to the exposing of high-energy {001} crystal facets and special hierarchical hollow structure. First-principle calculations were performed to illustrate the sensing mechanism, which suggested that the adsorption process of acetone molecule on TiO2 surface was spontaneous, and the adsorption on high-energy {001} crystal facets would be more stable than that on the normally exposed {101} crystal facets. Further characterization indicated that the {001} surface was highly reactive for the adsorption of active oxygen species, which was also responsible for the enhanced sensingperformance. The present studies revealed the crystal-facets-dependent gas-sensing properties of TiO2 and provided a new insight into improving the gassensingperformance by designing hierarchical hollow structure with special-crystal-facets exposure.

Synthesis of Nb-containing titania nanotubular arrays at room temperature by electrochemical anodization is reported. Crystallization of pure and Nb-doped TiO2 nanotubes was carried out by post-growth annealing at 400 °C. The morphology of the tubes obtained was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crystal structure and composition of tubes were investigated by glancing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF). For the first time gassensing characteristics of Nb-doped TiO2 nanotubes were investigated and compared to those of undoped nanotubes. The functional properties of nanotubular arrays towards CO, H2, NO2, ethanol and acetone were tested in a wide range of operating temperature. The introduction of Nb largely improves conductivity and enhances gassensingperformances of TiO2 nanotubes.

Jul 26, 2017 ... of the electron state was identified from the electro paramagnetic resonance spectrum. ... Cerium (IV) oxide or ceria, a face-centred cubic crystal, is ..... the transferring of electrons is done from the sur- face of metal oxide to the O2, as shown in the following equations (1–3):. O2(gas) = O2(ads) = O−.

A novel photoacoustic spectrometer has been applied to study trace gas emissions by fruit and insects. The spectrometer is based on a newly designed CO laser that can operate on 400 laser lines between 5.1-8.0 and 2.8-4.1 micrometer (delta v=1 and 2 mode, respectively). The spectrometer is equipped

Gas lift optimization is becoming more important now a day in petroleum industry. A proper lift optimization can reduce the operating cost, increase the net present value (NPV) and maximize the recovery from the asset. A widely accepted definition of gas lift optimization is to obtain the maximum output under specified operating conditions. In addition, gas lift, a costly and indispensable means to recover oil from high depth reservoir entails solving the gas lift optimization problems. Gas l...

Full Text Available Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS has been introduced the first time about 20years ago. This polymer is worldwide used for the rapid prototyping of microfluidic device through a replica molding process. However, the great popularity of PDMS is not only related to its easy processability, but also to its chemical and physical properties. For its interesting properties, the polymer has been implied for several applications, including sensing. In this work, we investigated how to use functionalized PDMS membranes as sensing elements in optical sensors for gas detection in water samples. Keywords: Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR sensors, Gas sensor

Full Text Available Cognitive radio (CR technology allows the unlicensed user to access the licensed spectrum bands. Spectrum sensing is an essential function in cognitive radio to detect the spectrum holes and opportunistically use the underutilized frequency bands without causing interference to primary user (PU. In this paper we are maximizing the throughput capacity of cognitive radio user and hence the performance of spectrum sensing and protection to licensed user improves over a wideband spectrum sensing band. The simulation of cognitive radio is done by analyzing the performance of energy detector spectrum sensing technique to detect primary user and to formulate the optimization using multiband joint detection method (MJD to achieve suitable trade- off between secondary user access and primary user network. The main aim of this paper is to maximize the probability of detection and to decrease the probabilities of miss detection and false alarm. To maximize the throughput it requires minimizing the throughput loss caused by miss detection and the significant reduction in probability of false alarm helps in achieving the spectral efficiency from the secondary user’s perspective. The simulation results show that the performance increases with the MJD method.

With an ever-increasing number of applications in many advanced fields, gas sensors are becoming indispensable devices in our daily life. Among different types of gas sensors, conductometric metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors are found to be the most appealing for advanced applications in the automotive, biomedical, environmental, and safety sectors because of the their high sensitivity, reduced size, and low cost. To improve their sensing characteristics, new metal oxide-based nanostructures have thus been proposed in recent years as sensing materials. In this review, we extensively review gas-sensing properties of core@ shell nanocomposites in which metals as the core and metal oxides as the shell structure, both of nanometer sizes, are assembled into a single metal@metal oxide core–shell. These nanostructures not only combine the properties of both noble metals and metal oxides, but also bring unique synergetic functions in comparison with single-component materials. Up-dated achievements in the synthesis and characterization of metal@metal oxide core–shell nanostructures as well as their use in MOS sensors are here reported with the main objective of providing an overview about their gas-sensing properties

With an ever-increasing number of applications in many advanced fields, gas sensors are becoming indispensable devices in our daily life. Among different types of gas sensors, conductometric metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors are found to be the most appealing for advanced applications in the automotive, biomedical, environmental, and safety sectors because of the their high sensitivity, reduced size, and low cost. To improve their sensing characteristics, new metal oxide-based nanostructures have thus been proposed in recent years as sensing materials. In this review, we extensively review gas-sensing properties of core@ shell nanocomposites in which metals as the core and metal oxides as the shell structure, both of nanometer sizes, are assembled into a single metal@metal oxide core-shell. These nanostructures not only combine the properties of both noble metals and metal oxides, but also bring unique synergetic functions in comparison with single-component materials. Up-dated achievements in the synthesis and characterization of metal@metal oxide core-shell nanostructures as well as their use in MOS sensors are here reported with the main objective of providing an overview about their gas-sensing properties.

Chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene is nanopatterned using a spherical block copolymer etch mask. The use of spherical rather than cylindrical block copolymers allows homogeneous patterning of cm-scale areas without any substrate surface treatment. Raman spectroscopy was used to study...... the controlled generation of point defects in the graphene lattice with increasing etching time, confirming that alongside the nanomesh patterning, the nanopatterned CVD graphene presents a high defect density between the mesh holes. The nanopatterned samples showed sensitivities for NO2 of more than one order...... of magnitude higher than for non-patterned graphene. NO2 concentrations as low as 300 ppt were detected with an ultimate detection limit of tens of ppt. This is the smallest value reported so far for non-UV illuminated graphene chemiresistive NO2 gas sensors. The dramatic improvement in the gas sensitivity...

First-principles calculations of the structural and electronic properties of monolayer 1T-PtSe2 with adsorbed (a) NO2, (b) NO, (c) NH3, (d) H2O, (e) CO2, and (f) CO molecules are discussed. The results point to great potential of the material in gas sensor applications. Superior sensitivity is demonstrated by transport calculations using the nonequilibrium Green\\'s function method.

A lone pairof the electron state was identified from the electro paramagnetic resonance spectrum. An optical energy band gap of 3.3 eV was calculated from the UV–Vis absorbance spectra. The gas response to changes in oxygen (O 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO) (at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 bar) and ethanol (at 50 and 100 ppm) was ...

The improved sensitivity and selectivity, and admirable stability are fundamental features required for the current age gassensing devices to appease future humanity and environmental requirements. Therefore, herein, we report on the room temperature gassensing behaviour of TiO2 nanotubes with significance response and sensitivity towards 60 ppm NO2 gas. Improved sensitivity of 29.44 ppm-1 and admirable selectivity towards NO2, among other gases ensuring adequate safety in monitoring NO2 in automobile and food industries. The improved sensitivity of TiO2 nanotubes was attributed to larger surface area provided by the hollow nanotubes resulting to improved gas adsorption and the relatively high concentration of oxygen vacancies.

In the present work we have reported the effect of temperature on the gassensing properties of TiO 2 doped PANI composite thin film based chemiresistor type gas sensors for hydrogen gassensing application. PANI and TiO 2 doped PANI composite were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline at low temperature. The electrical properties of these composite thin films were characterized by I-V measurements as function of temperature. The I-V measurement revealed that conductivity of composite thin films increased as the temperature increased. The changes in resistance of the composite thin film sensor were utilized for detection of hydrogen gas. It was observed that at room temperature TiO 2 doped PANI composite sensor shows higher response value and showed unstable behavior as the temperature increased. The surface morphology of these composite thin films has also been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurement

In a continuing program of research and development, a system has been demonstrated that makes high-speed measurements of thermal infrared radiance from gas-turbine engine exhaust streams. When a gas-turbine engine is operated under conditions that minimize the emission of pollutants, there is a risk of crossing the boundary from stable to unstable combustion. Combustion instability can lead to engine damage and even catastrophic failure. Sensor systems of the type under development could provide valuable data during the development testing of gas-turbine engines or of engine components. A system of the type under development makes high-speed measurements of thermal infrared radiance from the engine exhaust stream. The sensors of this system can be mounted outside the engine, which eliminates the need for engine case penetrations typical with other engine dynamics monitors. This is an important advantage in that turbine-engine manufacturers consider such penetrations to be very undesirable. A prototype infrared sensor system has been built and demonstrated on a turbine engine. This system includes rugged and inexpensive near-infrared sensors and filters that select wavelengths of infrared radiation for high sensitivity. In experiments, low-frequency signatures were consistently observed in the detector outputs. Under some conditions, the signatures also included frequency components having one or two radiance cycles per engine revolution. Although it has yet to be verified, it is thought that the low-frequency signatures may be associated with bulk-mode combustion instabilities or flow instabilities in the compressor section of the engine, while the engine- revolution-related signatures may be indicative of mechanical problems in the engine. The system also demonstrated the ability to detect transient high-radiance events. These events indicate hot spots in the exhaust stream and were found to increase in frequency during engine acceleration.

Even for existing coal based plants, the opportunity for sensors and controls to improve efficiency is great. A wide range of gas species are of interest for relevant applications. Functional sensor layers for embedded sensing must be compatible with extreme conditions (temperature, pressure, corrosive). Au incorporated metal oxides have been looked at by a number of other authors previously for gassensing, but have often focused on temperatures below 500{degree}C. Au nanoparticle incorporated metal oxide thin films have shown enhanced gassensing response. In prior work, we have demonstrated that material systems such as Au nanoparticle incorporated TiO{sub 2} films exhibit a potentially useful optical response to changing gas atmospheres at temperatures up to ~800-850{degree}C. Current work is focused on sputter-deposited Au/TiO{sub 2} films. Au and Ti are multi-layered sputter deposited, followed by a 950{degree}C oxidation step. Increasing Au layer thickness yields larger particles. Interband electronic transitions significantly modify the optical constants of Au as compared to the damped free electron theory. A high temperature oxidation (20%O{sub 2}/N{sub 2}) treatment was performed at 700{degree}C followed by a reduction (4%H{sub 2}/N{sub 2}) treatment to illustrate the shift in both absorption and scattering with exposure to reducing gases. Shift of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption peak in changing gas atmospheres is well documented, but shift in the peak associated with diffuse scattering is a new observation. Increasing Au layer-thickness results in an increase in LSPR absorption and a shift to longer wavelengths. Diffuse scattering associated with the LSPR resonance of Au shows a similar trend with increasing Au thickness. To model the temperature dependence of LSPR, the modification to the plasmon frequency, the damping frequency, and the dielectric constant of the oxide matrix must be accounted for. Thermal expansion of Au causes

Full Text Available A highly active tannin doped polyaniline-TiO2 composite ammonia gas sensor was developed and the mechanism behind the gassensing activity was reported for the first time. A tanninsulfonic acid doped polyaniline (TANIPANI-titanium dioxide nanocomposite was synthesized by an in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of tanninsulfonic acid and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were utilized to determine the incorporation of TiO2 in TANIPANI matrix. UV-Visible and infrared spectroscopy studies provided information about the electronic interactions among tannin, polyaniline, and TiO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS and atomic force microscopy (AFM surface analysis techniques were used to investigate the metal oxide dispersions inside polyaniline matrix. Gas sensors were prepared by spin coating solutions of TANIPANI-TiO2 and TANIPANI composites onto glass slides. Sensors were tested at three different concentrations (20 ppm, 40 ppm, and 60 ppm of ammonia gas at ambient temperature conditions by measuring the changes in surface resistivity of the films with respect to time. Ammonia gassensing plots are presented showing the response values, response times and recovery times. The TANIPANI-TiO2 composite exhibited better response and shorter recovery times when compared to TANIPANI control and other polyaniline composites that have been reported in the literature. For the first time a proposed mechanism of gassensing basing on the polaron band localization and its effects on the gassensing behavior of polyaniline are reported.

The characterization and ethanol gassensing properties of pure and doped ZnO thick films were investigated. Thick films of pure zinc oxide were prepared by the screen printing technique. Pure zinc oxide was almost insensitive to ethanol. Thick films of Al2O3 (1 wt%) doped ZnO were observed to be highly sensitive to ...

This item consists of several documents that were created throughout the Mobile Hybrid LiDAR & Infrared Sensing for Natural Gas Pipeline Monitoring project, No. RITARS-14-H-RUT, which was conducted from January 15, 2014 to June 30, 2016. Documents in...

ethanol, interfacial Ag2O reduces to Ag, creating an accumulation layer in In2O3 resulting in increased sensitivity. ... are understood to form a thin catalytic layer or nano/microclusters or take part in doping/alloy formation ... For gassensing measurements, nanoparticles dispersed in ethanol and ethylene glycol solution were ...

The central objective of this study is to investigate (i) size-dependent properties of In2O3 nanoparticles and (ii) the role of metal additives in enhancing the gassensing response. For this purpose, In2O3 : Ag composite nanoparticle layers having well-defined individual nanoparticle size and composition have been grown by ...

Nanowire structured p-type CuO semiconductor is a promising material for gas-sensing applications because of its unique electrical and optical properties. In this study, we demonstrate the length and density controlled synthesis of single crystal CuO nanowires (CuO NWs) by a simple and convenient thermal oxidation of high-purity copper foils in ambient atmosphere. The density and length of the CuO NWs are controlled by varying the oxidation temperature and heating duration to investigate their growth mechanism. As-synthesized materials are characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The gas-sensing characteristics of the CuO NWs are tested using hydrogen and ethanol gases. The results show that the CuO NWs could potentially sense hydrogen and ethanol gases given a working temperature of 400 °C.

Mid-IR carbon dioxide (CO2) gassensing is critical for monitoring in respiratory care, and is finding increasing importance in surgical anaesthetics where nitrous oxide (N2O) induced cross-talk is a major obstacle to accurate CO2 monitoring. In this work, a novel, solid state mid-IR photonics based CO2 gas sensor is described, and the role that 1- dimensional photonic crystals, often referred to as multilayer thin film optical coatings [1], play in boosting the sensor's capability of gas discrimination is discussed. Filter performance in isolating CO2 IR absorption is tested on an optical filter test bed and a theoretical gas sensor model is developed, with the inclusion of a modelled multilayer optical filter to analyse the efficacy of optical filtering on eliminating N2O induced cross-talk for this particular gas sensor architecture. Future possible in-house optical filter fabrication techniques are discussed. As the actual gas sensor configuration is small, it would be challenging to manufacture a filter of the correct size; dismantling the sensor and mounting a new filter for different optical coating designs each time would prove to be laborious. For this reason, an optical filter testbed set-up is described and, using a commercial optical filter, it is demonstrated that cross-talk can be considerably reduced; cross-talk is minimal even for very high concentrations of N2O, which are unlikely to be encountered in exhaled surgical anaesthetic patient breath profiles. A completely new and versatile system for breath emulation is described and the capability it has for producing realistic human exhaled CO2 vs. time waveforms is shown. The cross-talk inducing effect that N2O has on realistic emulated CO2 vs. time waveforms as measured using the NDIR gassensing technique is demonstrated and the effect that optical filtering will have on said cross-talk is discussed.

The part-load performance of gas and steam turbine combined cycles intended for naval use is of great importance, and it is influenced by the gas turbine configuration and load control strategy. This paper is aimed at quantifying the effects of variable geometry on the gas turbine part...... of various components within gas turbines. Two different gas turbine configurations are studied, a two-shaft aero-derivative configuration and a single-shaft industrial configuration. When both gas turbine configurations are running in part-load using fuel flow control, the results indicate better part......-load performance for the two-shaft gas turbine. Reducing the load this way is accompanied by a much larger decrease in exhaust gas temperature for the single-shaft gas turbine than for the two-shaft configuration. As used here, the results suggest that variable geometry generally deteriorates the gas turbine part...

We demonstrate on-chip gas/liquid sensing by using the chemotaxis of live bacteria (Euglena gracilis) confined in an isolated micro-aquarium, and gas/liquid permeation through porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The sensing chip consisted of one closed micro-aquarium and two separated bypass microchannels along the perimeter of the micro-aquarium. Test gas/liquid and reference samples were introduced into the two individual microchannels separately, and the gas/liquid permeated through the PDMS walls and dissolved in the micro-aquarium water, resulting in a chemical concentration gradient in the micro-aquarium. By employing the closed micro-aquarium isolated from sample flows, we succeeded in measuring the chemotaxis of Euglena for a gas substance quantitatively, which cannot be achieved with the conventional flow-type or hydro-gel-type microfluidic devices. We found positive (negative) chemotaxis for CO2 concentrations below (above) 15%, with 64 ppm as the minimum concentration affecting the cells. We also observed chemotaxis for ethanol and H2O2. By supplying culture medium via the microchannels, the Euglena culture remained alive for more than 2 months. The sensing chip is thus useful for culturing cells and using them for environmental toxicity/nutrition studies by monitoring their motion.

Despite many important applications of α-Fe(2)O(3) and Fe doped SnO(2) in semiconductors, catalysis, sensors, clinical diagnosis and treatments, one fundamental issue that is crucial to these applications remains theoretically equivocal--the reversible carrier-type transition between n- and p-type conductivities during gas-sensing operations. Herein, we present an unambiguous and rigorous theoretical analysis in order to explain why and how the oxygen vacancies affect the n-type semiconductors α-Fe(2)O(3) and Fe-doped SnO(2), in which they are both electronically and chemically transformed into a p-type semiconductor. Furthermore, this reversible transition also occurs on the oxide surfaces during gas-sensing operation due to physisorbed gas molecules (without any chemical reaction). We make use of the ionization energy theory and its renormalized ionic displacement polarizability functional to reclassify, generalize and explain the concept of carrier-type transition in solids, and during gas-sensing operation. The origin of such a transition is associated with the change in ionic polarizability and the valence states of cations in the presence of oxygen vacancies and physisorped gas molecules.

In this work, we demonstrate that semiconducting films of A IV B VI compounds, in particular, of nanostructured lead sulfide (PbS) which prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD), can be used as a sensing element for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) gas. The CBD method is versatile, simple in implementation and gives homogeneous semiconductor structures. We have prepared PbS nanocrystalline thin film at different reaction baths and temperatures. In the course of deposition, variable amounts of additives, such as organic substances among them, were introduced into the baths. The energy dispersive analysis (EDX) confirms the chemical composition of PbS films. A current–voltage (I–V) characterization of Pd/nc-PbS/a-SiC:H pSi(100)/Al Schottky diode structures were studied in the presence of NO 2 gas. The gassensing behavior showed that the synthesized PbS nanocrystalline thin films were influenced by NO 2 gas at room temperature. The results can be used for developing an experimental sensing element based on chemically deposited nanostructured PbS films which can be applicable in gas sensors.

A novel optical fiber array-type of sensing instrument with temperature compensation for real-time detection was developed to measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ammonia simultaneously. The proposed instrument is multi-sensing array integrated with real-time measurement module for portable applications. The sensing optical fibers were etched and polished before coating to increase sensitivities. The ammonia and temperature sensors were each composed of a dye-coated single-mode fiber with constructing a fiber Bragg grating and a long-period filter grating for detecting light intensity. Both carbon dioxide and oxygen sensing structures use multimode fibers where 1-hydroxy-3,6,8-pyrene trisulfonic acid trisodium salt is coated for carbon dioxide sensing and Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) dichlororuthenium(II) hexahydrate and Tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride are coated for oxygen sensing. Gas-induced fluorescent light intensity variation was applied to detect gas concentration. The portable gassensing array was set up by integrating with photo-electronic measurement modules and a human-machine interface to detect gases in real time. The measured data have been processed using piecewise-linear method. The sensitivity of the oxygen sensor were 1.54%/V and 9.62%/V for concentrations less than 1.5% and for concentrations between 1.5% and 6%, respectively. The sensitivity of the carbon dioxide sensor were 8.33%/V and 9.62%/V for concentrations less than 2% and for concentrations between 2% and 5%, respectively. For the ammonia sensor, the sensitivity was 27.78%/V, while ammonia concentration was less than 2%.

Full Text Available A novel optical fiber array-type of sensing instrument with temperature compensation for real-time detection was developed to measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ammonia simultaneously. The proposed instrument is multi-sensing array integrated with real-time measurement module for portable applications. The sensing optical fibers were etched and polished before coating to increase sensitivities. The ammonia and temperature sensors were each composed of a dye-coated single-mode fiber with constructing a fiber Bragg grating and a long-period filter grating for detecting light intensity. Both carbon dioxide and oxygen sensing structures use multimode fibers where 1-hydroxy-3,6,8-pyrene trisulfonic acid trisodium salt is coated for carbon dioxide sensing and Tris(2,2′-bipyridyl dichlororuthenium(II hexahydrate and Tris(bipyridineruthenium(II chloride are coated for oxygen sensing. Gas-induced fluorescent light intensity variation was applied to detect gas concentration. The portable gassensing array was set up by integrating with photo-electronic measurement modules and a human-machine interface to detect gases in real time. The measured data have been processed using piecewise-linear method. The sensitivity of the oxygen sensor were 1.54%/V and 9.62%/V for concentrations less than 1.5% and for concentrations between 1.5% and 6%, respectively. The sensitivity of the carbon dioxide sensor were 8.33%/V and 9.62%/V for concentrations less than 2% and for concentrations between 2% and 5%, respectively. For the ammonia sensor, the sensitivity was 27.78%/V, while ammonia concentration was less than 2%.

Snowflake-like SnO2 hierarchical architecture has been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method and followed by calcination. The SnO2 hierarchical structures are assembled with thin nanoflakes blocks, which look like snowflake shape. A possible mechanism for the formation of the SnO2 hierarchical structures is speculated. Moreover, gassensing tests show that the sensor based on snowflake-like SnO2 architectures exhibited excellent gassensing properties. The enhancement may be attributed to its unique structures, in which the porous feature on the snowflake surface could further increase the active surface area of the materials and provide facile pathways for the target gas.

A new sensing platform to simultaneously identify and quantify volatile C1 to C4 alkanes in multi-component gas mixtures is presented. This setup is based on an optically pumped, broadly tunable mid-infrared vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) developed for gas detection. The lead-chalcogenide VECSEL is the key component of the presented optical sensor. The potential of the proposed sensing setup is illustrated by experimental absorption spectra obtained from various mixtures of volatile hydrocarbons and water vapor. The sensor has a sub-ppm limit of detection for each targeted alkane in a hydrocarbon gas mixture even in the presence of a high water vapor content.

Full Text Available Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT films have been deposited by using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD system onto alumina substrates, provided with 6 nm thick cobalt (Co growth catalyst for remarkably improved NO2 gassensing, at working temperature in the range of 100–250∘C. Functionalization of the MWCNTs with nanoclusters of gold (Au sputtering has been performed to modify the surface of carbon nanotube networked films for enhanced and specific NO2 gas detection up to sub-ppm level. It is demonstrated that the NO2 gas sensitivity of the MWCNT-based sensors depends on Au-loading used as surface-catalyst. The gas response of MWCNT-based chemiresistor is attributed to p-type conductivity in the Au-modified semiconducting MWCNTs with a very good short-term repeatability and faster recovery. The sensor temperature of maximum NO2 sensitivity of the Au-functionalized MWCNTs is found to decrease with increasing Au-loading on their surface, and continuous gas monitoring at ppb level of NO2 is effectively performed with Au-modified MWCNT chemiresistors.

For detection of gases and vapors in complex backgrounds, "classic" analytical instruments are an unavoidable alternative to existing sensors. Recently a new generation of sensors, known as multivariable sensors, emerged with a fundamentally different perspective for sensing to eliminate limitations of existing sensors. In multivariable sensors, a sensing material is designed to have diverse responses to different gases and vapors and is coupled to a multivariable transducer that provides independent outputs to recognize these diverse responses. Data analytics tools provide rejection of interferences and multi-analyte quantitation. This review critically analyses advances of multivariable sensors based on ligand-functionalized metal nanoparticles also known as monolayer-protected nanoparticles (MPNs). These MPN sensing materials distinctively stand out from other sensing materials for multivariable sensors due to their diversity of gas- and vapor-response mechanisms as provided by organic and biological ligands, applicability of these sensing materials for broad classes of gas-phase compounds such as condensable vapors and non-condensable gases, and for several principles of signal transduction in multivariable sensors that result in non-resonant and resonant electrical sensors as well as material- and structure-based photonic sensors. Such features should allow MPN multivariable sensors to be an attractive high value addition to existing analytical instrumentation.

A basic wireless laser spectroscopic sensor network for monitoring of trace-gases will be presented. The prototype lowpower sensor nodes targeting carbon dioxide are based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and operate using a 2 μm VCSEL and a 3.5 m Herriott multi-pass cell. The sensor system, which employs real-time wireless communications, is controlled by custom electronics and can be operated autonomously. The sensor core electronics performs molecular concentration measurements using wavelength modulation spectroscopy with an active laser frequency locking to the target transition. The operating sensor node consumes approximately 300 mW of electrical power and can work autonomously for up to 100 hours when powered by a 10.5 Ah Lithium-ion polymer battery. Environmentally controlled long term (12 hours) stability tests show sensor node detection limit of ~0.286 ppm with 1 second integration time and the ultimate minimum detectable fractional absorption of 1.5x10-6 is obtained after 3500 seconds averaging time. The sensor node performance results and preliminary tests in a basic network configuration are discussed.

Fabrication of nanocrystalline NiSb2O6 thin films via sol-gel spin coating method towards the development of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensor operable at room temperature (25 °C) is being reported. Nanostructural, surface morphological and optical properties of trirutile-type NiSb2O6 have been investigated in order to explore the parameters of interest. The crystallite size has been found to be 19 nm. A detailed sensingperformance (sensitivity, sensor response, response and recovery times, reproducibility and long term stability) of NiSb2O6 nanostructures grown on alumina substrate has been investigated.

Full Text Available Reactive dual-target DC magnetron sputtering was used to prepare In–Sn oxide thin films with a wide range of compositions. The films were subjected to annealing post-treatment at 400 °C or 500 °C for different periods of time. Compositional and structural characterizations were performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering and scanning electron microscopy. Films were investigated for gassensing at 200 °C by measuring their resistance response upon exposure to acetaldehyde mixed with synthetic air. We found that the relative indium-to-tin content was very important and that measurable sensor responses could be recorded at acetaldehyde concentrations down to 200 ppb, with small resistance drift between repeated exposures, for both crystalline SnO2-like films and for amorphous films consisting of about equal amounts of In and Sn. We also demonstrated that it is not possible to prepare crystalline sensors with intermediate indium-to-tin compositions by sputter deposition and post-annealing up to 500 °C.

Highlights: • CuO as a p-type semiconductor. • It was synthesized by directly applying voltage. • A promising material for ammonia detection. - Abstract: CuO microstructure was successfully synthesized by 50 A and 3.6 V DC directly applying voltage. Crystalline structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), morphology by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). The sample of the 15 min processing time has an irregular shape with diameter about several hundreds of nanometer. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) were used to determine vibrational modes and optical properties of the as-synthesized samples: 529 and 585 cm{sup −1} vibrational modes, 3.95 eV band gap, and 402 nm emitting wavelength in violet region of CuO. X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy was used to determine chemical composition, Cu(II)O, of the metal oxide surface. Gassensingperformance exposing to NH{sub 3} mixed with air at various working temperatures and NH{sub 3} concentrations of the as-synthesized CuO has the best response at the optimal working temperature of 250 °C: sensitivity of 56.6% exposed to 5275 ppm NH{sub 3}.

It is presented an optical fiber sensing system projected to operate in the demanding conditions associated with coal waste piles in combustion. Distributed temperature measurement and spot gassensing are requirements for such a system. A field prototype has been installed and is continuously gathering data, which will input a geological model of the coal waste piles in combustion aiming to understand their dynamics and evolution. Results are presented on distributed temperature and ammonia measurement, being noticed any significant methane emission in the short time period considered. Carbon dioxide is also a targeted gas for measurement, with validated results available soon. The assessment of this technology as an effective and reliable tool to address the problem of monitoring coal waste piles in combustion opens the possibility of its widespread application in view of the worldwide presence of coal related fires.

Full Text Available Zigzag GaN/Ga2O3 heterogeneous nanowires (NWs were fabricated, and the optical properties and NO gassensing ability of the NWs were investigated. We find that NWs are most effective at 850 °C at a switching process once every 10 min (on/off = 10 min per each with a mixture flow of NH3 and Ar. The red shift of the optical bandgap (0.66 eV is observed from the UV-vis spectrum as the GaN phase forms. The gassensing characteristics of the developed sensor are significantly replaced to those of other types of NO sensors reported in literature.

A study of the surface and gas–sensitive properties of In 2 O 3 films modified with gold nanoparticles and synthesized by the successive ionic layer deposition (SILD) method was conducted. In 2 O 3 films were prepared using the spray pyrolysis method. The gas-sensing characteristics were tested using CO, H 2 , and O 3 as target gases. It has been shown that the surface modification with gold nanoparticles gives the opportunity to optimize the response of In 2 O 3 -based gas sensors to both reducing (CO, H 2 ) and oxidizing (O 3 ) gases. It has been found that the sensitizing effect during ozone detection was significantly higher than the effect during CO and H 2 detection. It has been demonstrated that the sensitizing effect depended on the number of SILD cycles used for gold nanoparticle deposition and was maximal for the In 2 O 3 surface decorated with gold nanoparticles with the smallest size. The mechanism of the gold nanoparticles' influence on the gas-sensing properties of the In 2 O 3 films is also discussed. It is suggested that to explain the observed effects, we have to consider both the “electronic” and “chemical” mechanisms of sensitization. Suggestions for studies to be carried out to further improve both the understanding of the nature of the gas-sensitive effects and the parameters of In 2 O 3 :Au-based gas sensors are also formulated. - Highlights: • In 2 O 3 gas sensors modified with gold nanoparticles using SILD method are studied. • AuNPs exhibit activity during interaction with either reducing or oxidizing gases. • Maximal effect of optimization is observed during ozone detection. • Sensitizing effect depends on the number of SILD cycles. • Proposed mechanisms explain effects observed in the In 2 O 3 :Au based gas sensors.

Highlights: • Tin doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by simple combustion method and doctor blade technique. • Different concentrations of Sn (0.5 at. wt%, 1.0 at. wt%, 2.0 at. wt%, 3.0 at. wt%) were used as dopants. • 2.0% of Sn-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibiting complete photodegradation of DR-31 dye under UV irradiation. Photocatalytic activities for all the samples were observed in 60 min. • The sensingperformance showed 5% volume of ethanol and acetone and gases could be detected with sensitivity of 86.80% and 84.40% respectively. - Abstract: Nowadays, tremendous increase in environmental issue is an alarming threat to the ecosystem. This paper reports, rapid synthesis and characterization for tin doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by simple combustion method and doctor blade technique. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by several techniques in terms of their morphological, structural, compositional, optical, photocatalytic and gassensing properties. These detailed characterization confirmed that all the synthesized nanoparticles are well crystalline and having good optoelectronic properties. Herein, different concentrations of Sn (0.5 at. wt%, 1.0 at. wt%, 2.0 at. wt%, 3.0 at. wt%) were used as dopants (SZ1–SZ4). The morphology of synthesized technique confirmed that the petal-shaped nanoparticles has high surface area and are well crystalline. In order to develop smart and functional nano-device, the prepared powder was coated on glass substrate by doctor blade technique and fabricated device was sensed for ethanol and acetone gas at different operating temperatures (300–500{sup °}C). It is noteworthy that morphology of the nanoparticles of the sensitive layer is maintained after different concentration of Sn. High sensitivity is the main cause of high surface area and tin doping. PL intensity near 598 nm of SZ3 is greater than other Sn-doped ZnO which indicates more oxygen vacancies of SZ3 is responsible for enhanced gas

Full Text Available This paper reports the morphological, humidity and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG sensing properties of Tantalum Oxide. The pellet of sensing material was prepared by hydraulic pressing machine at a pressure of 616 MPa at room temperature. It was annealed at 200, 400, 600 and 800 °C successively for 3 h and after each step of annealing; the sensing material was investigated using Scanning Electron Microscope. Minimum crystallite size, calculated from Debye-Scherrer formula was found to be 20 nm. Effects of annealing on surface morphology and electrical resistivity of sensing material have been also deliberated. It has been observed that with the increase in percentage relative humidity (%RH inside the chamber, there is corresponding decrease in the resistance values of pellet for the range from 25 to 95 %RH. Average sensitivity of the sensor is found 27 MΩ/%RH and in case of LPG sensing the maximum average sensitivity is 7. Reproducibility, hysteresis and ageing effect have been also investigated.

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with the aim to be applied in gas sensors. The films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and profilometry. To study the gassensing behavior of these WO3 films, they were deposited on quartz resonators and the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method was applied to analyze their gas sensitivity. Synthesis of tetragonal-WO3 films starting from a target with predominantly monoclinic WO3 phase was observed. The films deposited at 300 °C presented a surface topology favorable for the sorption properties, consisting of a film matrix with protruding craters/cavities. QCM prototype sensors with such films were tested for NO2 sensing. The PLD grown WO3 thin films show good sensitivity and fast reaction at room temperature, even in as-deposited state. With the presented technology, the manufacturing of QCM gas sensors is simple, fast and cost-effective, and it is also suitable for energy-effective portable equipment for on-line monitoring of environmental changes.

We report in this paper terahertz gassensing using a simple 1D photonic crystal cavity. The resonant frequencies of the cavity depend linearly on the refractive index of the ambient gas, which can then be measured by monitoring the resonance shift. Although quite easy to manufacture, this cavity...... exhibits high-quality factors, facilitating the realization of high sensitivity in the gas refractive index sensing. In our experiment, 6% of the change of hydrogen concentration in air, which corresponds to a refractive index change of 1.4 x 10(-5), can be steadily detected, and different gas samples can...

Highlights: • The mechanical energy of both pure and impure gases can be harvested by the introduced system. • The blown gas vibrates a non conductive sheet between two surfaces, generating the triboelectric charges. • The system is able to measure the flow rate of the blown gas. • The existence of dust in the blown air can be detected without external powering. • A self powered smoke detector is introduced. - Abstract: In this work, we propose an approach that can convert gas flow energy to electric energy by using the triboelectric effect, in a structure integrating at least two conductive parts (i.e. electrodes) and one non-conductive sheet. The gas flow induces vibration of the cited parts. Therefore, the frequent attaching and releasing between a non-conductive layer with at least one electrode generates electrostatic charges on the surfaces, and then an electron flow between the two electrodes. The effect of blown gas on the output signals is studied to evaluate the gas flow sensing. We also illustrate that the introduced system has an ability to detect micro particles driven by air into the system. Finally we show how we can use this approach for a self sustainable system demonstrating smoke detection and LED lightening

Highlights: ► Zn powder as precursor template for synthesis ZnO hollow spheres. ► Different precursor templates result in different ZnO nanostructures. ► Different experimental conditions enable growth of different surface morphologies of ZnO sphere. ► ZnO hollow sphere materials have good gassensingperformance for detecting ethanol gas. - Abstract: Using Zn powder as precursor templates, ZnO hollow microspheres were successfully prepared by thermal evaporation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. It was found that different size and shape of precursor resulted in different ZnO nanostructures. When varying experimental conditions, such as air flow rate and working pressure, ZnO hollow spheres with different surface morphologies could be obtained. The advantages of the present synthetic technology are simple, relatively low cost, and high reproducibility. A gas sensor was fabricated from the as-prepared ZnO hollow microspheres and tested to the ethanol gas at different operating temperatures.

In this work, we show a simple way to functionalize tungsten oxide nanowires (WO 3 -NWs) using a saturated palladium chloride (PdCl 2 ) solution deposited by a drop-casting method. WO 3 -NWs were synthesized by close-spaced chemical vapor deposition (CSVT). The morphological and structural characterizations showed that the diameters of WO 3 -NWs are in the range from 50 to 200 nm with lengths above 10 μm, and correspond to the orthorhombic phase of WO 3 , respectively. The sensor was fabricated using the WO 3 -NWs and tested with hydrogen and volatile organic compounds (VCO's). A comparative study was done on the sensingperformance, before and after the Palladium functionalization of the WO 3 -NWs, considering a wide range of gas concentrations and moderate operating temperatures (100–400 °C). The results show that this simple functionalization process significantly increases the sensor sensitivity and reduces the time constants. In addition, it has been shown that at 300 °C the decorated sensor becomes more selective to hydrogen and xylene for all concentrations considered in this research. Finally, the mechanisms involved in improving the gassensing properties of WO 3 -NWs functionalized with Palladium are discussed.

Vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs) with an average diameter below 80 nm and a thickness of the uniform VA-MWCNT layer of about 16 µm were grown in microwave plasma torch and tested for selected functional properties. IR absorption important for a construction of bolometers was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Basic electrochemical characterization was performed by cyclic voltammetry. Comparing the obtained results with the standard or MWCNT‑modified screen-printed electrodes, the prepared VA-MWCNT electrodes indicated their high potential for the construction of electrochemical sensors. Resistive CNT gas sensor revealed a good sensitivity to ammonia taking into account room temperature operation. Field emission detected from CNTs was suitable for the pressure sensing application based on the measurement of emission current in the diode structure with bending diaphragm. The advantages of microwave plasma torch growth of CNTs, i.e., fast processing and versatility of the process, can be therefore fully exploited for the integration of surface-bound grown CNTs into various sensing structures.

Full Text Available A one-step electrochemical method based on sacrificial anode electrolysis (SAE was used to deposit stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs directly on the surface of nanostructured ZnO powders, previously synthesized through a sol–gel process. The effect of thermal annealing temperatures (300 and 550 °C on chemical, morphological, and structural properties of pristine and Au-doped ZnO nancomposites (Au@ZnO was investigated. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM, as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, revealed the successful deposition of nanoscale gold on the surface of spherical and rod-like ZnO nanostructures, obtained after annealing at 300 and 550 °C, respectively. The pristine ZnO and Au@ZnO nanocomposites are proposed as active layer in chemiresistive gas sensors for low-cost processing. Gas-sensing measurements towards NO2 were collected at 300 °C, evaluating not only the Au-doping effect, but also the influence of the different ZnO nanostructures on the gas-sensing properties.

Full Text Available Semiconductive nanometer-size material ZnCo2O4 was synthesized by a solution combustion reaction of inorganic reagents of Zn(NO33. 6H2O, Co(NO33.6H2O and glycine as a fuel. The process was a convenient, environment friendly, inexpensive and efficient preparation method for the ZnCo2O4 nanomaterial. The synthesized materials were characterized by TG/DTA, XRD, EDX, SEM, and TEM. Conductance responses of the nanocrystalline ZnCo2O4 thick film were measured by exposing the film to reducing gases like Acetone, Ethanol, Ammonia (NH3, Hydrogen (H2, Hydrogen sulphide (H2S, Chlorine (Cl2 and Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG. It was found that the sensors exhibited various sensing responses to these gases at different operating temperature. Furthermore, the sensor exhibited a fast response and a good recovery. The results demonstrated that ZnCo2O4 can be used as a new type of gas-sensing material which has a high sensitivity and good selectivity to Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG at 100 ppm.

The cost and risk associated with the design and operation of gas turbine engine systems has led to an increasing dependence on mathematical models. In this paper, the fundamentals of engine simulation will be reviewed, an example performance analysis will be performed, and relationships useful for engine control system development will be highlighted. The focus will be on thermodynamic modeling utilizing techniques common in industry, such as: the Brayton cycle, component performance maps, map scaling, and design point criteria generation. In general, these topics will be viewed from the standpoint of an example turbojet engine model; however, demonstrated concepts may be adapted to other gas turbine systems, such as gas generators, marine engines, or high bypass aircraft engines. The purpose of this paper is to provide an example of gas turbine model generation and system performance analysis for educational uses, such as curriculum creation or student reference.

Thin films of SnO2 nanowires were successfully prepared by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process on quartz substrates. Afterwards, a thin layer of palladium (Pd) as a catalyst was coated on top of nanowires. For the deposition of Pd, a simple and low cost technique of spray pyrolysis was employed, which caused an intensive enhancement on the sensing response of fabricated sensors. Prepared sensor devices were exposed to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and vapor of ethanol (C2H5OH)...

screen-printing technique. The sensingperformance of the films was tested for various gases. ... academia and in industry (Hirschfeld et al 1986). Although much research has been focused on sensors based on ... industry in applications for capacitors, thermocouples, transducers, sensors and actuators, etc (Herbert 1980;.

Full Text Available Abstract In this work, porous TiO2 hollow spheres with an average diameter of 100 nm and shell thickness of 20 nm were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method with NH4HCO3 as the structure-directing agent, and the formation mechanism for this porous hollow structure was proved to be the Ostwald ripening process by tracking the morphology of the products at different reaction stages. The product was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD and BET analyses, and the results show that the as-synthesized products are anatase phase with a high surface area up to 132.5 m2/g. Gas-sensing investigation reveals that the product possesses sensitive response to methanal gas at 200°C due to its high surface area.

We report the nitrogen-monoxide (NO) gas-sensing properties of transparent p-type copper-oxide (CuO) nanorod arrays synthesized by using the hydrothermal method with a CuO nanoparticle seed layer deposited on a glass substrate via sputtering process. We synthesized polycrystalline CuO nanorods measuring 200 to 300 nm in length and 20 to 30 nm in diameter for three controlled molarity ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 between copper nitrate trihydrate [Cu(NO{sub 2}){sub 2}·3H{sub 2}O] and hexamethylenetetramine (C{sub 6}H{sub 12}N{sub 4}). The crystal structures and morphologies of the synthesized CuO nanorod arrays were examined using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The gas-sensing measurements for NO gas in dry air indicated that the CuO nanorodarray-based gas sensors synthesized under hydrothermal condition at a molarity ratio of 1:2 showed the best gassensing response to NO gas. These CuO nanorod-array gas sensors exhibited a highly sensitive response to NO gas, with a maximum sensitivity of about 650% for 10 ppm NO in dry air at an operating temperature of 100 .deg. C. These transparent p-type CuO nanorod-array gas sensors have shown a reversible and reliable response to NO gas over a range of operating temperatures. These results indicate certain potential use of p-type oxide semiconductor CuO nanorods as sensing materials for several types of gas sensors, including p - n junction gas sensors.

Full Text Available In this study, a graphene-doped porous silicon (G-doped/p-Si substrate for low ppm H2 gas detection by an inexpensive synthesis route was proposed as a potential noble graphene-based gas sensor material, and to understand the sensing mechanism. The G-doped/p-Si gas sensor was synthesized by a simple capillary force-assisted solution dropping method on p-Si substrates, whose porosity was generated through an electrochemical etching process. G-doped/p-Si was fabricated with various graphene concentrations and exploited as a H2 sensor that was operated at room temperature. The sensing mechanism of the sensor with/without graphene decoration on p-Si was proposed to elucidate the synergetic gassensing effect that is generated from the interface between the graphene and p-type silicon.

Full Text Available A simple process of gassensing is represented here using Ce doped tin oxide nanomaterial based thin film sensor. A novel flow metric gas chamber has been designed and utilized for gassensing. Doping plays a vital role in enhancing the sensing properties of nanomaterials. Ce doped tin oxide was prepared by hydrothermal method and the same has been used to fabricate a thin film for sensing. The microstructure and morphology of the prepared materials were analysed by SEM, XRD, and FTIR analysis. The SEM images clearly show that doping can clamp down the growth of the large crystallites and can lead to large agglomeration spheres. Thin film gas sensors were formed from undoped pure SnO2 and Ce doped SnO2. The sensors were exposed to ammonia and ethanol gases. The responses of the sensors to different concentrations (50–500 ppm of ammonia and ethanol at different operating temperatures (225°C–500°C were studied. Results show that a good sensitivity towards ammonia was obtained with Ce doped SnO2 thin film sensor at an optimal operating temperature of 325°C. The Ce doped sensor also showed good selectivity towards ammonia when compared with ethanol. Pure SnO2 showed good sensitivity with ethanol when compared with Ce doped SnO2 thin film sensor. Response time of the sensor and its stability were also studied.

Full Text Available Monodisperse ZnSn(OH6(ZHS microcrystallites(MCs with two morphologies have been prepared through a facile preparation method without complicated steps,advanced experimental conditions or equipments.The morphology and compositional characteristics of the 3D hierarchitectures(HAs of ZHS MCs were investigated by various techniques such as XRD,FESEM,TEM,UV-vis spectra,BET.In the reaction system the morphology evolution from cube to sphere was controlled with adding different concentration of NH4OH.The gas sensors based on ZHS exhibited a good gas sensitivity to HCHO.However,the gas sensors based on spherical ZHS MCs exhibited the higher sensitivity,shorter recovery time and good reproducibility to HCHO than those of cubic ZHS MCs.More importantly,it was found that spherical ZHS MCs with ~600 nm size had the best gas-sensing properties owing to more oxygen vacancy defects,less band gap energy,and larger active surface area.

Silica aerogels have a rich history and a unique, fascinating gas-phase chemistry that has lent them to many diverse applications. This review starts with a brief discussion of the fundamental issues driving the movement of gases in silica aerogels and then proceeds to provide an overview of the work that has been done with respect to the purification of gases, sensing of individual gases, and uses of silica aerogels as catalysts for gas-phase reactions. Salient features of the research behind these different applications are presented, and, where appropriate, critical aspects that affect the practical use of the aerogels are noted. Specific sections under the gas-purification category focus on the removal of airborne nanoparticles, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, sulfur gases and radioactive iodine from gas streams. The use of silica aerogels as sensors for humidity, oxygen, hydrocarbons, volatile acids and bases, various non-ammoniacal nitrogen gases, and viral particles is discussed. With respect to catalysis, the demonstrated use of silica aerogels as supports for oxidation, Fischer-Tropsch, alkane isomerization, and hydrogenation reactions is reviewed, along with a section on untested catalytic formulations involving silica aerogels. A short section focuses on recent developments in thermomolecular Knudsen compressor pumps using silica aerogel membranes. The review continues with an overview of the production methods, locations of manufacturing facilities globally, and a brief discussion of the economics before concluding with a few remarks about the present and future trends revealed by the work presented.

A porphyrin sensor for the detection of NO sub 2 gas in the 0.1-5.0 ppm range has been developed. The sensing characteristics of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4,-bis[-ethylhexyloxy]phenyl)-21H,23H-porphine (EHO) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films are shown to be dependent on a range of parameters including surface pressure, film thickness and deposition speed. This research has led to exceptionally fast response times with the best t sub 5 sub 0 values of approx 15s achieved with relatively large absorbance changes of typically 60%. The kinetics of the sensing response have been simulated using the Elovichian model and shown to exhibit Langmuirian and Arrhenius behaviour. Ultra-fast LB deposition (500-1000 mm min sup - sup 1) has been developed as a means of both decreasing sample production time and increasing the surface area - volume ratio for enhanced gas response. This technique maintains orientational symmetry and high transfer ratio, yet displays a highly disordered porous structure. The 'bed of nails' texture is pr...

Full Text Available Graphene-surfactant composite materials obtained by the ultrasonic exfoliation of graphite powder in the presence of ionic surfactants (either CTAB or SDS were utilised to construct thin films using layer-by-layer (LbL electrostatic deposition technique. A series of graphene-based thin films were made by alternating layers of either graphene-SDS with polycations (PEI or PAH or graphene-CTAB with polyanions (PSS. Also, graphene-phthalocyanine composite films were produced by alternating layers of graphene-CTAB with tetrasulfonated nickel phthalocyanine. Graphene-surfactant LbL films exhibited good electric conductivity (about 0.1 S/cm of semiconductor type with a band gap of about 20 meV. Judging from UV-vis spectra measurements, graphene-phthalocyanine LbL films appeared to form joint π-electron system. Gassensing testing of such composite films combining high conductivity of graphene with the gassensing abilities of phthalocyanines showed substantial changes (up to 10% in electrical conductivity upon exposure to electro-active gases such as HCl and NH3.

Nanostructured Polypyrrole thin film was synthesized by easy and economic chemical oxidative polymerization technique on glass at room temperature. The prepared thin film of Polypyrrole was characterized by optical absorbance study by UV-visible spectroscopy and electrical study by I-V measurement system. The optical absorbance spectrum of Polypyrrole shows two fundamental peaks in region of 420 and 890 nm, which confirms the formation of Polypyrrole on glass substrate. The I-V graph of nanostructured Polypyrrole represents the Ohmic nature. Furthermore, the thin film of Polypyrrole was investigated by Scanning electron microscopy for surface morphology study. The SEM micrograph represents spherical nanostructured morphology of Polypyrrole on glass substrate. In order to investigate gassensing properties, 100 ppm of LPG, Ammonia and Nitrogen Dioxide were injected in the gas chamber and magnitude of resistance has been recorded as a function of time in second. It was observed that nanostructured Polypyrrole thin film shows good sensing behavior at room temperature.

Full Text Available Thin films of SnO2 nanowires were successfully prepared by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD process on quartz substrates. Afterwards, a thin layer of palladium (Pd as a catalyst was coated on top of nanowires. For the deposition of Pd, a simple and low cost technique of spray pyrolysis was employed, which caused an intensive enhancement on the sensing response of fabricated sensors. Prepared sensor devices were exposed to liquid petroleum gas (LPG and vapor of ethanol (C2H5OH. Results indicate that SnO2 nanowires sensors coated with Pd as a catalyst show decreasing in response time (~40s to 1000ppm of LPG at a relatively low operating temperature (200o C. SnO2 /Pd nanowire devices show gassensing response time and recovery time as short as 50s and 10s respectively with a high sensitivity value of ~120 for C2H5OH, that is remarkable in comparison with other reports.

Full Text Available An inexpensive single-step carbon-assisted thermal evaporation method for the growth of SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanostructures is described, and the ethanol sensing properties are presented. The structure and phases of the grown nanostructures are investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD techniques. XRD analysis indicates that the core-shell nanostructures have good crystallinity. At a lower growth duration of 15 min, only SnO2 nanowires with a rectangular cross-section are observed, while the ZnO shell is observed when the growth time is increased to 30 min. Core-shell hierarchical nanostructures are present for a growth time exceeding 60 min. The growth mechanism for SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanowires and hierarchical nanostructures are also discussed. The sensitivity of the synthesized SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanostructures towards ethanol sensing is investigated. Results show that the SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanostructures deposited at 90 min exhibit enhanced sensitivity to ethanol. The sensitivity of SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanostructures towards 20 ppm ethanol gas at 400 °C is about ~5-times that of SnO2 nanowires. This improvement in ethanol gas response is attributed to high active sensing sites and the synergistic effect of the encapsulation of SnO2 by ZnO nanostructures.

A necessary step in the use of natural gas (methane) in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is its preliminary conversion to hydrogen and carbon monoxide. To perform methane conversion within fuel cells and avoid catalyst carbonization the molar ratio between methane and steam (or steam with carbon dioxide) should be 1:2 or higher at the SOFC inlet. In this article two possible technological approaches to provide this desirable ratio in a combined SOFC-gas turbine system are compared. The first approach involves generation of the required steam in the coupled gas turbine cycle. The second (which is more traditional) involves recycling some part of the exhaust gases around the anodes of the SOFC stack. Exergy and energy analyses for the two SOFC-gas turbine systems are conducted to determine their efficiencies and capabilities to generate power at different rates of oxygen conductivity through the SOFC electrolyte (ion conductive membrane), as well as various efficiencies for natural gas conversion to electricity in the SOFC stack. It is determined that with a fixed SOFC stack the scheme with recycling has higher exergy and energy efficiencies (requiring less natural gas for a fixed electricity output) and the scheme with steam generation is associated with a higher capability for power generation. The question of which scheme permits a higher reduction in natural gas consumption (per unit of time), in the case of its implementation instead of a contemporary combined gas turbine-steam power cycle is considered. The greater capability of power generation while retaining high efficiency of fuel consumption in the scheme with steam generation makes its implementation more favorable. This scheme provides a better relative reduction in natural gas consumption (relative to the scheme with exhaust gas recycling) calculated per unit of time which reaches values of about 20%. At higher values of oxygen conductivity and efficiency of natural gas conversion to electricity in the

This report describes research carried out in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Stanford University from September 1998 - September 1998 under the third year of a three-year Department of Energy (DOE) grant on the ''Prediction of Gas Injection Performance for Heterogeneous Reservoirs''. The research effort is an integrated study of the factors affecting gas injection, from the pore scale to the field scale, and involves theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments and numerical simulation. The research is divided into four main areas: (1) Pore scale modeling of three-phase flow in porous media; (2) Laboratory experiments and analysis of factors influencing gas injection performance at the core scale with an emphasis on the fundamentals of three-phase flow; (3) Benchmark simulations of gas injection at the field scale; and (4) Development of streamline-based reservoir simulator.

Full Text Available The productivity of a gas well declines over its production life as cannot cover economic policies. To overcome such problems, the production performance of gas wells should be predicted by applying reliable methods to analyse the decline trend. Therefore, reliable models are developed in this study on the basis of powerful artificial intelligence techniques viz. the artificial neural network (ANN modelling strategy, least square support vector machine (LSSVM approach, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS, and decision tree (DT method for the prediction of cumulative gas production as well as initial decline rate multiplied by time as a function of the Arps' decline curve exponent and ratio of initial gas flow rate over total gas flow rate. It was concluded that the results obtained based on the models developed in current study are in satisfactory agreement with the actual gas well production data. Furthermore, the results of comparative study performed demonstrates that the LSSVM strategy is superior to the other models investigated for the prediction of both cumulative gas production, and initial decline rate multiplied by time.

High quality sensing and control systems are essential for providing efficient signalized arterial operations. INDOT operates over 2600 traffic signal controllers, approximately 2000 of which use some form of vehicle detection. The private sector con...

This paper presents analytical techniques for aiding system designers in making aircraft engine health management sensor selection decisions. The presented techniques, which are based on linear estimation and probability theory, are tailored for gas turbine engine performance estimation and gas path fault diagnostics applications. They enable quantification of the performance estimation and diagnostic accuracy offered by different candidate sensor suites. For performance estimation, sensor selection metrics are presented for two types of estimators including a Kalman filter and a maximum a posteriori estimator. For each type of performance estimator, sensor selection is based on minimizing the theoretical sum of squared estimation errors in health parameters representing performance deterioration in the major rotating modules of the engine. For gas path fault diagnostics, the sensor selection metric is set up to maximize correct classification rate for a diagnostic strategy that performs fault classification by identifying the fault type that most closely matches the observed measurement signature in a weighted least squares sense. Results from the application of the sensor selection metrics to a linear engine model are presented and discussed. Given a baseline sensor suite and a candidate list of optional sensors, an exhaustive search is performed to determine the optimal sensor suites for performance estimation and fault diagnostics. For any given sensor suite, Monte Carlo simulation results are found to exhibit good agreement with theoretical predictions of estimation and diagnostic accuracies.

Full Text Available Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs film-based sensor on the substrate of printed circuit board (PCB with interdigital electrodes (IDE were fabricated using layer-by-layer self-assembly, and the electrical properties of MWNTs film sensor were investigated through establishing models involved with number of self-assembled layers and IDE finger gap, and also its ethanol gas-sensing properties with varying gas concentration are characterized at room temperature. Through comparing with the thermal evaporation method, the experiment results shown that the layer-by-layer self-assembled MWNTs film sensor have a faster response and more sensitive resistance change when exposed to ethanol gas, indicated a prospective application for ethanol gas detection with high performance and low-cost.

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are increasingly being used to detect, identify, and measure levels of trace gases in the air. External cavity QCLs (ECQCLs) provide a broadly-tunable infrared source to measure absorption spectra of chemicals and provide high detection sensitivity and identification confidence. Applications include detecting chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals, monitoring building air quality, measuring greenhouse gases for atmospheric research, monitoring and controlling industrial processes, analyzing chemicals in exhaled breath for medical diagnostics, and many more. Compact, portable trace gas sensors enable in-field operation in a wide range of platforms, including handheld units for use by first responders, fixed installations for monitoring air quality, and lightweight sensors for deployment in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). We present experimental demonstration of a new chemical sensing technique based on intracavity absorption in an external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL). This new technique eliminates the need for an infrared photodetector and gas cell by detecting the intracavity absorption spectrum in the compliance voltage of the laser device itself. To demonstrate and characterize the technique, we measure infrared absorption spectra of chemicals including water vapor and Freon-134a. Sub-ppm detection limits in one second are achieved, with the potential for increased sensitivity after further optimization. The technique enables development of handheld, high-sensitivity, and high-accuracy trace gas sensors for in-field use.

The gas-sensing properties of Pt-decorated carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which provide a foundation for the fabrication of sensors, have been evaluated. In this study, we calculated the gas adsorption of Pt-decorated (8,0) single-wall CNTs (Pt-SWCNTs) with SO2, H2S, and CO using GGA/PW91 method based on density functional theory. The adsorption energies and the changes in geometric and electronic structures after absorption were comprehensively analyzed to estimate the responses of Pt-SWCNTs. Results indicated that Pt-SWCNTs can respond to the three gases. The electrical characteristics of Pt-SWCNTs show different changes after adsorption. Pt-SWCNTs donate electrons and increase the number of hole carriers after adsorbing SO2, thereby enhancing its conductivity. When H2S is adsorbed on CNTs, electrons are transferred from H2S to Pt-SWCNTs, converting Pt-SWCNTs from p-type to n-type sensors with improved conductivity. However, Pt-SWCNTs obtain electrons and show decreased conductivity when reacted with CO gas.

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Porous LaFeO{sub 3} microspheres have been successfully synthesized by a convenient and effective hydrothermal method. • The synthesis method has the advantages of controllable fabrication, simple equipment and no additional template. • The mechanism for the formation of porous LaFeO{sub 3} microspheres has been explained in accordance with the Ostwald ripening process. • The as-prepared porous LaFeO{sub 3} microspheres exhibited potential applications in monitoring acetone gas. - Abstract: Porous micro-/nanostructures are of great interest in many current and emerging areas of technology. In this paper, porous microspheres composed of LaFeO{sub 3} nanoparticles were prepared by a convenient and effective method. The obtained microspheres have been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), which confirms the single crystalline orthorhombic structure. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it can be seen that porous LaFeO{sub 3} microspheres with rough surface were assembled from a large amount of interconnected nanoparticles. And transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image has also confirmed their porous feature. A subsequent plausible formation mechanism of porous LaFeO{sub 3} microspheres has been explained in accordance with the Ostwald ripening process. Moreover, gassensing investigation showed that the sensor based on porous LaFeO{sub 3} microspheres exhibited potential applications in monitoring acetone gas due to their unique morphology and porous structure.

A comparison is made between SnO2, ZnO, and TiO2 single-crystal nanowires and SnO2 polycrystalline nanofibers for gassensing. Both nanostructures possess a one-dimensional morphology. Different synthesis methods are used to produce these materials: thermal evaporation-condensation (TEC), controlled oxidation, and electrospinning. Advantages and limitations of each technique are listed. Practical issues associated with harvesting, purification, and integration of these materials into sensing devices are detailed. For comparison to the nascent form, these sensing materials are surface coated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles. Gassensing tests, with respect to H2, are conducted at ambient and elevated temperatures. Comparative normalized responses and time constants for the catalyst and noncatalyst systems provide a basis for identification of the superior metal-oxide nanostructure and catalyst combination. With temperature-dependent data, Arrhenius analyses are made to determine an activation energy for the catalyst-assisted systems.

Full Text Available Hetero-junction Pt/In2O3/SiC devices with different Pt thickness (30, 50 and 90nm were fabricated and their hydrogen gassensing characteristics have been studied. Pt and In2O3 thin films were deposited by laser ablation. The hydrogen sensitivity was found to increase with decreasing Pt electrode thickness. For devices with Pt thickness of 30 nm, the sensitivity gradually increased with increasing temperature and reached a maximum of 390 mV for 1% hydrogen in air at 530°C. Atomic force microscopy (AFM analysis revealed a decrease in Pt grain size and surface roughness for increasing Pt thickness. The relationship between the gassensingperformance and the Pt film thickness and surface morphology is discussed.

A pilot experimental set up of the India Based Neutrino Observatory's ICAL detector has been operational for the last 4 years at TIFR, Mumbai. Twelve glass RPC detectors of size 2 × 2 m2, with a gas gap of 2 mm are under test in a closed loop gas recirculation system. These RPCs are continuously purged individually, with a gas mixture of R134a (C2H2F4), isobutane (iC4H10) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) at a steady rate of 360 ml/h to maintain about one volume change a day. To economize gas mixture consumption and to reduce the effluents from being released into the atmosphere, a closed loop system has been designed, fabricated and installed at TIFR. The pressure and flow rate in the loop is controlled by mass flow controllers and pressure transmitters. The performance and integrity of RPCs in the pilot experimental set up is being monitored to assess the effect of periodic fluctuation and transients in atmospheric pressure and temperature, room pressure variation, flow pulsations, uniformity of gas distribution and power failures. The capability of closed loop gas recirculation system to respond to these changes is also studied. The conclusions from the above experiment are presented. The validations of the first design considerations and subsequent modifications have provided improved guidelines for the future design of the engineering module gas system.

In the last decade, technological innovation and changes in the economic and regulatory environment have resulted in increased attention to distributed energy systems (DES). Combined cooling heating and power (CHP) systems based on the gas-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) are increasingly used as small-scale distribution co-generators. This paper describes an innovative ICE-CHP system with an exhaust-gas-driven absorption heat pump (AHP) that has been set up at the energy-saving building in Beijing, China. The system is composed of an ICE, an exhaust-gas-driven AHP, and a flue gas condensation heat exchanger (CHE), which could recover both the sensible and latent heat of the flue gas. The steady performance and dynamic response of the innovative CHP system with different operation modes were tested. The results show that the system's energy utilization efficiency could reach above 90% based on lower heating value (LHV) of natural gas; that is, the innovative CHP system could increase the heat utilization efficiency 10% compared to conventional CHP systems, and the thermally activated components of the system have much more thermal inertia than the electricity generation component. The detailed test results provide important insight into CHP performance characteristics and could be valuable references for the control of CHP systems. The novel CHP system could take on a very important role in the CHP market. (author)

An inkjet-printed, fully passive sensor capable of either humidity or gassensing is presented herein. The sensor is composed of an interdigitated electrode, a customized printable gas sensitive ink and a specialized dipole antenna for wireless sensing. The interdigitated electrode printed on a paper substrate provides the base conductivity that varies during the sensing process. Aided by the porous nature of the substrate, a change in relative humidity from 18% to 88% decreases the electrode resistance from a few Mega-ohms to the kilo-ohm range. For gassensing, an additional copper acetate-based customized ink is printed on top of the electrode, which, upon reaction with hydrogen sulphide gas (HS) changes, both the optical and the electrical properties of the electrode. A fast response time of 3 min is achieved at room temperature for a HS concentration of 10 ppm at a relative humidity (RH) of 45%. The passive wireless sensing is enabled through an antenna in which the inner loop takes care of conductivity changes in the 4-5 GHz band, whereas the outer-dipole arm is used for chipless identification in the 2-3 GHz band.

A novel H2 gas sensor based on a SnO2 nanostructure was operated at room temperature (RT) (25°C). The SnO2 nanostructure was grown on Al2O3 substrates by a sol-gel spin coating method. The structural characteristics, surface morphology, and gassensing properties of the SnO2 nanostructure were investigated. Thin film annealing at 500°C produced a high-quality SnO2 nanostructure with a crystallite size of 33.98 nm. A metal-semiconductor-metal gas sensor was fabricated using the SnO2 nanostructure and palladium metal. The gas sensor exhibited a sensitivity of 2570% to 1000 ppm H2 gas at RT. The sensing measurements for H2 gas at different temperatures (RT to 125°C) were repeatable for 50 min. Sensor sensitivity was tested under different H2 concentrations (150 ppm, 250 ppm, 375 ppm, 500 ppm, and 1000 ppm) at different operating temperatures. Adding glycerin to the sol solution increased the porosity of the SnO2 nanostructure surface, which increased the adsorption/desorption of gas molecules which leads to the high sensitivity of the sensor. Therefore, this H2 gas sensor is a suitable portable RT gas sensor.

Remote gassensing for atmospheric and environmental studies using single mode emitting semiconductor lasers, e.g. in LIDAR applications has gained wide interest in the last few years. This technique has been brought to sophisticated sensitivity levels and nowadays detection limits are in the range of a few ppb. However, up until recently only semiconductor laser diode sources with wavelengths below 2.3 μm have been available, which inherently limits the detection sensitivity due to the fact that the fundamental absorption band of many gases lies in the spectral range beyond 2.3 μm. With novel distributed feedback laser diodes at wavelengths up to 2.9 μm higher detection sensitivities as compared to currently available laser based sensors are possible.

Full Text Available Thin films of tin oxide mixed cerium oxide were grown on unheated substrates by physical vapor deposition. The films were annealed in air at 500 °C for two hours, and were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and optical spectrophotometry. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy results reveal that the films were highly porous and porosity of our films was found to be in the range of 11.6–21.7%. The films were investigated for the detection of carbon monoxide, and were found to be highly sensitive. We found that 430 °C was the optimum operating temperature for sensing CO gas at concentrations as low as 5 ppm. Our sensors exhibited fast response and recovery times of 26 s and 30 s, respectively.

Vanadium oxide, manganese oxide, tungsten oxide, and nickel oxide nanowires were investigated for their applicability as chemiresistive gas sensors. Nanowires have excellent surface-to-volume ratios which yield higher sensitivities than bulk materials. Sensing elements consisting of these materials were assembled in an array to create an electronic nose platform. Dielectrophoresis was used to position the nanomaterials onto a microfabricated array of electrodes, which was subsequently mounted onto a leadless chip carrier and printed circuit board for rapid testing. Samples were tested in an enclosed chamber with vapors of acetone, isopropanol, methanol, and aqueous ammonia. The change in resistance of each assembly was measured. Responses varied between nanowire compositions, each demonstrating unique and repeatable responses to different gases; this enabled direct detection of the gases from the ensemble response. Sensitivities were calculated based on the fractional resistance change in a saturated environment and ranged from 6 × 10-4 to 2 × 10-5%change ppm-1.

Nano-scaled polypyrrole (PPy) particles have been successfully synthesized with the help of Triton X-100 micelles via soft template approach. The polypyrrole nanoparticles have been spin-coated on surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducers to demonstrate their sensing capability toward acetone gas exposure. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopes (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy have been utilized to characterize these PPy nanoparticles. The PPy nanoparticles have an average diameter of 95 nm. The responses of the sensors are linearly associated with the acetone concentrations in the range from 5.5 ppm to 80 ppm. In response to 5.5 ppm acetone exposure, the response and recovery time are 9 s and 8.3 s, respectively. SAW sensors coated with PPy nanoparticles were potentially useful to detect acetone.

Nano-scaled polypyrrole (PPy) particles have been successfully synthesized with the help of Triton X-100 micelles via soft template approach. The polypyrrole nanoparticles have been spin-coated on surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducers to demonstrate their sensing capability toward acetone gas exposure. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopes (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy have been utilized to characterize these PPy nanoparticles. The PPy nanoparticles have an average diameter of 95 nm. The responses of the sensors are linearly associated with the acetone concentrations in the range from 5.5 ppm to 80 ppm. In response to 5.5 ppm acetone exposure, the response and recovery time are 9 s and 8.3 s, respectively. SAW sensors coated with PPy nanoparticles were potentially useful to detect acetone.

Full Text Available This paper focuses on investigations encompassing comparative assessment of gas turbine cycle options. More specifically, investigation was carried out of technical performance of turboshaft engine cycles based on existing simple cycle (SC and its projected modified cycles for civil helicopter application. Technically, thermal efficiency, specific fuel consumption, and power output are of paramount importance to the overall performance of gas turbine engines. In course of carrying out this research, turbomatch software established at Cranfield University based on gas turbine theory was applied to conduct simulation of a simple cycle (baseline two-spool helicopter turboshaft engine model with free power turbine. Similarly, some modified gas turbine cycle configurations incorporating unconventional components, such as engine cycle with low pressure compressor (LPC zero-staged, recuperated engine cycle, and intercooled/recuperated (ICR engine cycle, were also simulated. In doing so, design point (DP and off-design point (OD performances of the engine models were established. The percentage changes in performance parameters of the modified cycle engines over the simple cycle were evaluated and it was found that to a large extent, the modified engine cycles with unconventional components exhibit better performances in terms of thermal efficiency and specific fuel consumption than the traditional simple cycle engine. This research made use of public domain open source references.

The suitability of holographic structures fabricated in zeolite nanoparticle-polymer composite materials for gassensing applications has been investigated. Theoretical modeling of the sensor response (i.e., change in hologram readout due to a change in refractive index modulation or thickness as a result of gas adsorption) of different sensor designs was carried out using the Raman-Nath theory and Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. The influence of a range of parameters on the sensitivity of holographically recorded surface and volume photonic structures has been studied, namely, hologram geometry, hologram thickness and spatial frequency, reconstruction wavelength, and zeolite nanoparticle refractive index. From this, the optimum fabrication conditions for both surface and volume holographic gas sensor designs have been identified. Here in Part II, results from modeling of the influence of design on the sensor response of holographically recorded volume grating structures for gassensing applications are reported.

The suitability of holographic structures fabricated in zeolite nanoparticle-polymer composite materials for gassensing applications has been investigated. Theoretical modeling of the sensor response (i.e., change in hologram readout due to a change in refractive index modulation or thickness as a result of gas adsorption) of different sensor designs was carried out using Raman-Nath theory and Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. The influence of a range of parameters on the sensor response of holographically recorded surface and volume photonic grating structures has been studied, namely the phase difference between the diffracted and probe beam introduced by the grating, grating geometry, thickness, spatial frequency, reconstruction wavelength, and zeolite nanoparticle refractive index. From this, the optimum fabrication conditions for both surface and volume holographic gas sensor designs have been identified. Here, in part I, results from theoretical modeling of the influence of design on the sensor response of holographically inscribed surface relief structures for gassensing applications is reported.

Highlights: • CdO thin films are prepared by spin coater of precursor solution of different molarity. • Nano-structure of CdO is cauliflower like change with concentration. • Relation of strain and crystal size with conductivity as a function of molarity. • A CdO thin film shows nitrogen sensing at room temperature. - Abstract: The effect of sol concentration has been investigated on the sol-gel derived CdO nanostructures to optimize the optical and electrical properties enhancing gassensing properties at low temperatures. X-ray diffraction patterns show that 0.5 M CdO film has cubic structure (111) preferred orientation with 34 nm particle size. Scanning electron micrographs indicated concentration dependent surface morphology. The optical band gap energy for highly transparent thin films increases from 1.9 eV to 2.34 eV as molarity was increased from 0.2 M to 1.0 M. The photoluminescence spectra of the samples have a violet to blue emission peak centred at 435 nm. J-V characteristics show that thin film of 0.5 M has conductivity 1.41 × 10{sup −3} S/m. The sensor characteristic such as response curve, sensor response, response time and recovery time were measured for optimized thin film at different operating temperatures. The sensor response was found 20% near room temperature (32 °C) and proportional to temperature. Fastest response time 10 s and recovery time 20 s were observed near room temperature. The resistivity of sensor was found to decrease in presence of gas attribute to more charge carriers with flower like morphology. Our study is encouraging to get faster response by CdO thin films near room temperature.

We introduce polyaniline-cadmium ferrite (PANI-CdFe2O4) nanostructured composite as a room-temperature-operable liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensor. The structure of PANI and the composite prepared by chemical polymerization was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Comparative XRD and FT-IR analysis confirmed CdFe2O4 embedded in PANI matrix with mutual interfacial interaction. The nanostructure of the composite was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. A simple LPG sensor operable at room temperature, exclusively based on spin-coated PANI-CdFe2O4 nanocomposite, was fabricated with maximum sensing response of 50.83% at 1000 ppm LPG. The response and recovery time of the sensor were 50 s and 110 s, respectively, and it was stable over a period of 1 month with slight degradation of 4%. The sensing mechanism is discussed on the basis of the p- n heterojunction barrier formed at the interface of PANI and CdFe2O4.

A hot gas duct provided with internal thermal insulation is to be used for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR). This type of hot gas duct has not been used so far in industrial facilities, and only a couple of tests on such a large-scale model of a hot gas duct have been conducted. The present report deals with the results of the thermal performance of the single tube type hot gas ducts which are installed as parts of a helium engineering demonstration loop (HENDEL). Uniform temperature and heat flux distribution at the surface of the duct were observed, the experimental correlations being obtained for the effective thermal conductivity of the internal thermal insulation layer. The measured temperature distribution of the pressure tube was in good agreement with the calculation by a TRUMP heat transfer computer code. The temperature distribution of the inner tube of the co-axial hot gas duct was evaluated and no hot spot was detected. These results would be very valuable for the design and development of HTGR. (orig.)

The Tin Oxide (SnO2) based thin films doped with 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mol% of Ag were deposited on the glass substrates using the advanced chemical spray pyrolysis technique. All the films were deposited at temperature 400 °C. The crystalline structure of the samples was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). All the XRD patterns of the films showed a well-defined polycrystalline phase, fitting well with the SnO2 tetragonal rutile type structure. The optical properties of the Ag doped SnO2 films were studied using UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The surface morphological analysis of as-synthesized Ag doped SnO2 films have been carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The sensor response was estimated by the change in the electrical resistance of the film in the absence and presence of H2S gas. The sensor response and sensitivity in relation to, operation temperature and the gas concentration have been systematically studied. A significant response (∼ 1.38) and with a short response and recovery time (46 s, 110 s) towards 450 ppm H2S at 100 °C operating temperature is observed for the 3 mol% Ag-doped SnO2 film. This method offers a highly promising candidate for development of materials sensors due to facile fabrication route and desirable sensingperformance.

Ophir Corporation was awarded a contract by the U. S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory under the Project Title ''Airborne, Optical Remote Sensing of Methane and Ethane for Natural Gas Pipeline Leak Detection'' on October 14, 2002. This second six-month technical report summarizes the progress made towards defining, designing, and developing the hardware and software segments of the airborne, optical remote methane and ethane sensor. The most challenging task to date has been to identify a vendor capable of designing and developing a light source with the appropriate output wavelength and power. This report will document the work that has been done to identify design requirements, and potential vendors for the light source. Significant progress has also been made in characterizing the amount of light return available from a remote target at various distances from the light source. A great deal of time has been spent conducting laboratory and long-optical path target reflectance measurements. This is important since it helps to establish the overall optical output requirements for the sensor. It also reduces the relative uncertainty and risk associated with developing a custom light source. The data gathered from the optical path testing has been translated to the airborne transceiver design in such areas as: fiber coupling, optical detector selection, gas filters, and software analysis. Ophir will next, summarize the design progress of the transceiver hardware and software development. Finally, Ophir will discuss remaining project issues that may impact the success of the project.

Full Text Available The paper presents the design and development of a polysilicon-based microhotplate (MHP on a SiO2 membrane formed by bulk micromachining in orientation P-type silicon. The chip comprises four microheater cells, which can be used separately or in series combination. The chip size is 2.1 × 2.1 sq. mm. The design and simulation of a single-cell microhotplate is carried out using ANSYS. The complete fabrication process is described in this paper. The temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR of polysilicon resistors of values 5.7 kW and 3.36 kW has been measured as 0.69 × 10-3 and 0.5 × 10-3 per °C respectively. These values are used to estimate the temperature of the polysilicon heater by measuring the change in resistance value of the resistor on applying a voltage to it. Temperatures up to 367 °C have been calculated at low bias voltages. As the sensitivity of the gassensing film is temperature dependent, the developed hotplate will be used as a platform for fabricating the gas sensors.

TiN was introduced as a part of the sensing layer of gas sensitive metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices. Three types of metallic gate layer structures deposited by magnetron sputtering were investigated: TiN, a double layer with Pt on top of TiN, and two-phase Pt-TiN films formed by co-sputtering. The homogeneity of the co-sputtered layer was strongly dependent on the substrate temperature during film growth, with segregation of Pt as a result of high temperature deposition. During the deposition conditions in this work, Pt and TiN appear to be immiscible, resulting in growth of films consisting of the two phases. Furthermore, surface oxidation of TiN and enhanced oxidation of TiN at the grain boundaries to Pt in both the as-deposited films after exposure to atmosphere at room temperature and the films subjected to MIS device processing and to gas response analyses at a temperature of 140 deg. C resulted in a three-phase TiN-TiO sub x -Pt system. A segregation of Pt to the growth surface was observed d...

A method of calibration-free scanned-wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) absorption sensing is provided by obtaining absorption lineshape measurements of a gas sample on a sensor using 1f-normalized WMS-2f where an injection current to an injection current-tunable diode laser (TDL) is modulated at a frequency f, where a wavelength modulation and an intensity modulation of the TDL are simultaneously generated, extracting using a numerical lock-in program and a low-pass filter appropriate band-width WMS-nf (n=1, 2, . . . ) signals, where the WMS-nf signals are harmonics of the f, determining a physical property of the gas sample according to ratios of the WMS-nf signals, determining the zero-absorption background using scanned-wavelength WMS, and determining non-absorption losses using at least two of the harmonics, where a need for a non-absorption baseline measurement is removed from measurements in environments where collision broadening has blended transition linewidths, where calibration free WMS measurements without knowledge of the transition linewidth is enabled.

Full Text Available Based on hydrogen bonding, the highly uniform polyaniline (PANI nanotubes were synthesized by self-assembly method using citric acid (CA as the dopant and the structure-directing agent by optimizing the molar ratio of CA to aniline monomer (Ani. Synthesis conditions like reaction temperature and mechanical stirring were considered to explore the effects of hydrogen bonding on the morphologies. The effects of CA on the final morphology of the products were also investigated. The as-synthesized CA doped polyaniline (PANI nanomaterials were further deposited on the plate electrodes for the test of gassensingperformance to ammonia (NH3. The sensitivity to various concentrations of NH3, the repeatability, and the stability of the sensors were also tested and analyzed. As a result, it was found that the PANI nanomaterial synthesized at the CA/Ani molar ratio of 0.5 has highly uniform tubular morphology and shows the best sensingperformance to NH3. It makes the PANI nanotubes a promising material for high performancegassensing to NH3.

Japan might be one of the most active countries dedicating themselves to studying the greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements using optical remote sensing not only on the ground but also from space. There are two reasons; one of them ascends to the Kyoto Protocol, agreed in December 1997 in Kyoto, an ancient city of Japan until 19th centuries, was designed to address the international response to serious climate change due to greenhouse gases. The other reason is due to a revision of the Basic Environment Law of Japan in order to meet the Kyoto Protocol in 1998. The State makes efforts to ensure international collaboration so as to effectively promote the monitoring, observation and measurement of the environmental situation with regard to global warming. Main activities are listed in a Table1. They are divided into two categories, i.e. the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), launched on Jan.23, 2009 and active remote sensing using lidar technology. In case of GOSAT, an initial analysis of carbon dioxide and methane concentrations was obtained for clear-sky scenes over land. In the future, after further calibration and validation of the data, observation data and corresponding analyzed products will be made available. On the other hand, studies of the laser remote sensing for measuring GHG have been actively carrying out to achieve reliable data with a higher accuracy at wavelengths of 1.6micron meter (Tokyo Metropolitan University, JAXA, Mitsubishi Electric Co.) and 2 micron meter (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology). As well-known, one of the most interests regarding atmospheric CO2 measurements is that carbon dioxide molecule measured are due to anthropological emission from fossil fuel burning or due to natural one from forest fires etc. We proposed a newly advanced CO2/CO DIAL using a hybrid of pulsed Tm,Ho:YLF and pulsed OPO pumped by it for better understanding them. Now, our effort is directed to find out the most suitable

This final report describes research carried out in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Stanford University from September 1996--May 2000 under a three-year grant from the Department of Energy on the ''Prediction of Gas Injection Performance for Heterogeneous Reservoirs''. The advances from the research include: new tools for streamline-based simulation including the effects of gravity, changing well conditions, and compositional displacements; analytical solutions to 1D compositional displacements which can speed-up gas injection simulation still further; and modeling and experiments that delineate the physics that is unique to three-phase flow.

This project performs research in four main areas: laboratory experiments to measure three-phase relative permeability; network modeling to predict three-phase relative perme- ability; benchmark simulations of gas injection and waterfl ooding at the field scale; and the development of fast streamline techniques to study field-scale oil. The aim of the work is to achieve a comprehensive description of gas injection processes from the pore to the core to the reservoir scale. In this report we provide a detailed description of our measurements of three-phase relative permeability.

-induced type I IFN expression in CNS cells and these cytokines are induced in a cGAS-STING-dependent manner. Consistently, mice defective in cGAS or STING are highly susceptible to acute HSE. Although STING is redundant for cell-autonomous antiviral resistance in astrocytes and neurons, viral replication...... is strongly increased in neurons in STING-deficient mice. Interestingly, HSV-infected microglia confer STING-dependent antiviral activities in neurons and prime type I IFN production in astrocytes through the TLR3 pathway. Thus, sensing of HSV-1 infection in the CNS by microglia through the cGAS-STING pathway...

Well-crystalline ZnO nanorods were synthesized by a simple solution route employing dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt (DBS) as a modifying agent. ZnO gas sensors were fabricated from ZnO nanorods with an average diameter of around 95 nm and their gas-sensing properties were investigated. It was found that the sensors based on ZnO nanorods exhibit high responses and good selectivities to benzene and ethanol gas. Our results indicate that ZnO sensors will be promising candidates for practical detectors for dilute benzene and ethanol, respectively.

Different from previous works in cooperative spec- trum sensing that assumed the sensing channels independent identically distributed (i.i.d.), we investigate in this paper the independent but not identically distributed (i.n.i.d.) situations. In particular, we derive the false-alarm probability and the detection probability of cooperative spectrum sensing with the scheme of energy fusion over i.n.i.d. Rayleigh, Nakagami, and Rician fading channels. From the selected numerical results, we can see that cooperative spectrum sensing still gives considerably better performance even over i.n.i.d. fading environments.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the number senseperformance of secondary school students according to grade level, gender and the components of number sense. A descriptive survey design was used to collect data. A total of 576 secondary school students (291 girls and 285 boys) participated in the study. The results revealed that the…

Cooperation among cognitive radio users improves the spectrum sensingperformance by combining local decisions measured over independent sensing channels, allowing reduction of miss-detection and false alarm probabilities. While most of the works in cooperative spectrum sensing techniques assume perfect channels between the cooperating users, this paper studies the effect of imperfect channels when local users report their sensed information to the fusion center. Cooperative detection and false-alarm probabilities are derived for a general scheme of imperfect reporting channels under non necessarily identical sensing and reporting channels. Numerical simulations show that imperfect reporting channels should be considered to optimize the cooperative sensing in terms of consumed energy and probability of error.

This paper proposes a method that combined hyperspectral remote sensing with super-low-frequency (SLF) electromagnetic detection to extract oil and gas reservoir characteristics from surface to underground, for the purpose of determining oil and gas exploration target regions. The study area in Xinjiang Karamay oil-gas field, China, was investigated. First, a Hyperion dataset was used to extract altered minerals (montmorillonite, chlorite, and siderite), which were comparatively verified by field survey and spectral measurement. Second, the SLF electromagnetic datasets were then acquired where the altered minerals were distributed. An inverse distance weighting method was utilized to acquire two-dimensional profiles of the electrical feature distribution of different formations on the subsurface. Finally, existing geological data, field work, and the results derived from Hyperion images and SLF electromagnetic datasets were comprehensively analyzed to confirm the oil and gas exploration target region. The results of both hyperspectral remote sensing and SLF electromagnetic detection had a good consistency with the geological materials in this study. This paper demonstrates that the combination of hyperspectral remote sensing and SLF electromagnetic detection is suitable for the early exploration of oil and gas reservoirs, which is characterized by low exploration costs, large exploration areas, and a high working efficiency.

In this work, we demonstrate that semiconducting films of A{sub IV}B{sub VI} compounds, in particular, of nanostructured lead sulfide (PbS) which prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD), can be used as a sensing element for nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}) gas. The CBD method is versatile, simple in implementation and gives homogeneous semiconductor structures. We have prepared PbS nanocrystalline thin film at different reaction baths and temperatures. In the course of deposition, variable amounts of additives, such as organic substances among them, were introduced into the baths. The energy dispersive analysis (EDX) confirms the chemical composition of PbS films. A current–voltage (I–V) characterization of Pd/nc-PbS/a-SiC:H pSi(100)/Al Schottky diode structures were studied in the presence of NO{sub 2} gas. The gassensing behavior showed that the synthesized PbS nanocrystalline thin films were influenced by NO{sub 2} gas at room temperature. The results can be used for developing an experimental sensing element based on chemically deposited nanostructured PbS films which can be applicable in gas sensors.

Full Text Available In order to improve the sensing properties of tin dioxide gas sensor, four kinds of different SiO2/Al2O3 ratio, different particle size of MFI type zeolites (ZSM-5 were coated on the SnO2 to prepared zeolite modified gas sensors, and the gassensing properties were tested. The measurement results showed that the response values of ZSM-5 zeolite (SiO2/Al2O3 = 70, grain size 300 nm coated SnO2 gas sensors to formaldehyde vapor were increased, and the response to acetone decreased compared with that of SnO2 gas sensor, indicating an improved selectivity property. The other three ZSM-5 zeolites with SiO2/Al2O3 70, 150 and 470, respectively, and grain sizes all around 1 μm coated SnO2 sensors did not show much difference with SnO2 sensor for the response properties to both formaldehyde and acetone. The sensing mechanism of ZSM-5 modified sensors was briefly analyzed.

This report describes research carried out in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Stanford University from September 1996 - September 1997 under the first year of a three-year Department of Energy grant on the Prediction of Gas Injection Performance for Heterogeneous Reservoirs. The research effort is an integrated study of the factors affecting gas injection, from the pore scale to the field scale, and involves theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments and numerical simulation. The original proposal described research in four main areas; (1) Pore scale modeling of three phase flow in porous media; (2) Laboratory experiments and analysis of factors influencing gas injection performance at the core scale with an emphasis on the fundamentals of three phase flow; (3) Benchmark simulations of gas injection at the field scale; and (4) Development of streamline-based reservoir simulator. Each stage of the research is planned to provide input and insight into the next stage, such that at the end we should have an integrated understanding of the key factors affecting field scale displacements.

This report describes research carried out in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Stanford University from September 1997 - September 1998 under the second year of a three-year grant from the Department of Energy on the "Prediction of Gas Injection Performance for Heterogeneous Reservoirs." The research effort is an integrated study of the factors affecting gas injection, from the pore scale to the field scale, and involves theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments, and numerical simulation. The original proposal described research in four areas: (1) Pore scale modeling of three phase flow in porous media; (2) Laboratory experiments and analysis of factors influencing gas injection performance at the core scale with an emphasis on the fundamentals of three phase flow; (3) Benchmark simulations of gas injection at the field scale; and (4) Development of streamline-based reservoir simulator. Each state of the research is planned to provide input and insight into the next stage, such that at the end we should have an integrated understanding of the key factors affecting field scale displacements.

The gas turbine is one of the most important applications for power generation. The purpose of this research is performance analysis and optimization of power plants by using different design systems at different operation conditions. In this research, accurate efficiency calculation and finding optimum values of efficiency for design of chiller inlet cooling and blade cooled gas turbine are investigated. This research shows how it is possible to find the optimum design for different operation conditions, like ambient temperature, relative humidity, turbine inlet temperature, and compressor pressure ratio. The simulated designs include the chiller, with varied COP and fogging cooling for a compressor. In addition, the overall thermal efficiency is improved by adding some design systems like reheat and regenerative heating. The other goal of this research focuses on the blade-cooled gas turbine for higher turbine inlet temperature, and consequently, higher efficiency. New film cooling equations, along with changing film cooling effectiveness for optimum cooling air requirement at the first-stage blades, and an internal and trailing edge cooling for the second stage, are innovated for optimal efficiency calculation. This research sets the groundwork for using the optimum value of efficiency calculation, while using inlet cooling and blade cooling designs. In the final step, the designed systems in the gas cycles are combined with a steam cycle for performance improvement.

The Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on Validation of Predictive Methods for Fuel and Fission Product Behaviour was organized within the frame of the International Working Group on Gas Cooled Reactors. This International Working Group serves as a forum for exchange of information on national programmes, provides advice to the IAEA on international co-operative activities in advanced technologies of gas cooled reactors (GCRs), and supports the conduct of these activities. The objectives of this CRP were to review and document the status of the experimental data base and of the predictive methods for GCR fuel performance and fission product behaviour; and to verify and validate methodologies for the prediction of fuel performance and fission product transport

Highlights: • SnO{sub 2}/NiO composite nanowebs were fabricated via the electrospinning method. • The composite nanowebs sensor shows excellent sensingperformance to ethanol. • The good performance attributes to the formation of p-type NiO/n-type SnO{sub 2} heterojunctions. - Abstract: Electrospun nanowebs of p-type NiO/n-type SnO{sub 2} heterojunctions were successfully fabricated using a simple electrospinning process followed by thermo-compression and subsequent calcination processes. The morphology, chemical composition and microstructure of the as-spun SnO{sub 2}/NiO nanowebs were well characterized by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. After the calcination, the thinner and porous nanofibers with a high surface area were obtained. The response of the SnO{sub 2}/NiO nanowebs sensor (R{sub a}/R{sub g} = 27.5) is 1 order of magnitude higher than that of the pure SnO{sub 2} nanowebs sensor toward 100 ppm of ethanol with average response and recovery times of ∼2.9 and ∼4.7 s, respectively. Furthermore, the sensor also exhibits high reproducibility and long-term stability. This facile process is versatile for the synthesis of other materials with multilayer nanowebs for different gas sensors and can be extended for various practical applications.

Mobile robots equipped with gas sensors have been applied to measure gas distributions in given areas. Here we present experimental results to show that the obtained distributions are, at least in some cases, distorted because of upward air currents created by self-generated heat of the robot. The results of CFD simulations show that human olfaction is also affected by upward air currents generated around our bodies.

Laser absorption based sensors are extensively used in a variety of gassensing areas such as combustion, atmospheric research, human breath analysis, and high resolution infrared spectroscopy. Quantum cascade lasers have recently emerged as high resolution, high power laser sources operating in mid infrared region and can have wide tunability range. These devices provide an opportunity to access stronger fundamental and combination vibrational bands located in mid infrared region than previously accessible weaker overtone vibrational bands located in near infrared region. Spectroscopic region near 8 µm contains strong vibrational bands of methane, acetylene, hydrogen peroxide, water vapor and nitrous oxide. These molecules have important applications in a wide range of applications. This thesis presents studies pertaining to spectroscopy and combustion applications. Advancements in combustion research are imperative to achieve lower emissions and higher efficiency in practical combustion devices such as gas turbines and engines. Accurate chemical kinetic models are critical to achieve predictive models which contain several thousand reactions and hundreds of species. These models need highly reliable experimental data for validation and improvements. Shock tubes are ideal devices to obtain such information. A shock tube is a homogenous, nearly constant volume, constant pressure, adiabatic and 0-D reactor. In combination with laser absorption sensors, shock tubes can be used to measure reaction rates and species time histories of several intermediates and products formed during pyrolysis and oxidation of fuels. This work describes measurement of the decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide which is an important intermediate species controlling reactivity of combustion system in the intermediate temperature range. Spectroscopic parameters (linestrengths, broadening coefficients and temperature dependent coefficients) are determined for various transitions of

Full Text Available In this paper, the reliability of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS-based gas sensor has been investigated using Three Dimensional (3D coupled multiphysics Finite Element (FE analysis. The coupled field analysis involved a two-way sequential electro- thermal fields coupling and a one-way sequential thermal-structural fields coupling. An automated substructuring code was developed to reduce the computational cost involved in simulating this complicated coupled multiphysics FE analysis by up to 76 percent. The substructured multiphysics model was then used to conduct a parametric study of the MEMS-based gas sensor performance in response to the variations expected in the thermal and mechanical characteristics of thin films layers composing the sensing MEMS device generated at various stages of the microfabrication process. Whenever possible, the appropriate deposition variables were correlated in the current work to the design parameters, with good accuracy, for optimum operation conditions of the gas sensor. This is used to establish a set of design rules, using linear and nonlinear empirical relations, which can be utilized in real-time at the design and development decision-making stages of similar gas sensors to enable the microfabrication of these sensors with reliable operation.

Full Text Available In this paper, a spiral shape photonic crystal fiber (S-PCF has been suggested as a gas sensor for detecting toxic or colorless gases as well as monitoring the air pollution by metering gas condensate elements in production facilities. Our reported S-PCF is micro-structured where two layers porous core is encircled by a spiral shape cladding. The geometrical parameters have altered to optimize the parameters of the proposed structure. The numerical analysis of the proposed S-PCF is performed by utilizing finite element method (FEM. The relative sensitivity and birefringence of the proposed S-PCF are 55.10% and 7.23 × 10−3 respectively at the 1.33 μm wavelength that lies in the absorption line of toxic gases (methane and hydrogen fluoride. Besides, effective area, nonlinear coefficient and V parameters are also described briefly.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) doped with chromium (Cr) was synthesized by reactive co-sputtering for gassensing applications. The effect of varying the contents of Cr (from 1 to 4 at%) on the ZnO gas sensor response was studied. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the high orientation of c-axis of the prepared films. The optimum operating temperature of the undoped ZnO was 400 °C and shifted to 300 °C for the Cr-doped ZnO under the acetone vapour. The 1% Cr doping ZnO gas sensor was most sensitive for the acetone vapour. The ability of the 1% Cr-doped ZnO to produce repeatable results under different acetone vapour concentrations was tested. The timing properties of the doped Cr ZnO gas sensor were 70 and 95 s for the rise and recovery time respectively.

In this study the proof of principle of the use of naked semiconductor directly generated on metal oxide surface as mediators in gassensing is provided. Successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) technique has been applied to sensitize a WO{sub 3} thin film with CdS quantum dots. Response to gases of bare WO{sub 3} is deeply modified: quantum dots dramatically increase the metal oxide conductance, otherwise rather poor, and modify the capability of detecting environmental pollutants, such as CO and NO{sub 2}. A modified sensing mechanism is proposed to rationalize the mediation exerted by the semiconducting active layer on the interaction between gaseous species and WO{sub 3} surface.

The main objective in oil production system using gas lift technique is to obtain the optimum gas injection rate which yields the maximum oil production rate. Relationship between gas injection rate and oil production rate is described by a continuous gas lift performance curve (GLPC). Obtaining the optimum gas injection rate is important because excessive gas injection will reduce production rate, and also increase the operation cost. In this paper, we discuss a mathematical model for gas li...

Gas filled insulation panels (GFP) are very light weight and compact (when uninflated) advanced insulation products. GFPs consist of multiple layers of thin, low emittance (low-e) metalized aluminum. When expanded, the internal, low-e aluminum layers form a honeycomb structure. These baffled polymer chambers are enveloped by a sealed barrier and filled with either air or a low-conductivity gas. The sealed exterior aluminum foil barrier films provide thermal resistance, flammability protection, and properties to contain air or a low conductivity inert gas. This product was initially developed with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The unexpanded product is nearly flat for easy storage and transport. Therefore, transportation volume and weight of the GFP to fill unit volume of wall cavity is much smaller compared to that of other conventional insulation products. This feature makes this product appealing to use at Army Contingency Basing, when transportation cost is significant compared to the cost of materials. The objective of this study is to evaluate thermal performance of walls, similar to those used at typical Barracks Hut (B-Hut) hard shelters, when GFPs are used in the wall cavities. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) tested performance of the wall in the rotatable guarded hotbox (RGHB) according to the ASTM C 1363 standard test method.

Full Text Available Thick films of (Ba0.1Sr0.9(Sn0.5Ti0.5O3 referred as BSST, were prepared by screen-printing technique. The preparation, characterization and gassensing properties of pure and CuO-BSST mixed oxide semiconductors have been investigated. The mixed oxides were obtained by dipping the pure BSST thick films into 0.01 M aqueous solution of CuCl2, for different intervals of time. Pure BSST was observed to be less sensitive to H2S gas. However, mixed oxides of CuO and BSST were observed to be highly sensitive to H2S gas. Upon exposure to H2S gas, the barrier height of CuO-BSST intergranular regions decreases markedly due to the chemical transformation of CuO into well conducting CuS leading to a drastic decrease in resistance. The crucial gas response was found to H2S gas at room temperature and no cross sensitivity was observed to other hazardous and polluting gases. The effects of microstructure and doping concentration on the gas response, selectivity, response and recovery of the sensor in the presence of H2S gas were studied and discussed.

The ''Enabling & Information Technology To Increase RAM for Advanced Powerplants'' program, by DOE request, was re-directed, de-scoped to two tasks, shortened to a 2-year period of performance, and refocused to develop, validate and accelerate the commercial use of enabling materials technologies and sensors for coal/IGCC powerplants. The new program was re-titled ''Enabling Technology for Monitoring & Predicting Gas Turbine Health & Performance in IGCC Powerplants''. This final report summarizes the work accomplished from March 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004 on the four original tasks, and the work accomplished from April 1, 2004 to July 30, 2005 on the two re-directed tasks. The program Tasks are summarized below: Task 1--IGCC Environmental Impact on high Temperature Materials: The first task was refocused to address IGCC environmental impacts on high temperature materials used in gas turbines. This task screened material performance and quantified the effects of high temperature erosion and corrosion of hot gas path materials in coal/IGCC applications. The materials of interest included those in current service as well as advanced, high-performance alloys and coatings. Task 2--Material In-Service Health Monitoring: The second task was reduced in scope to demonstrate new technologies to determine the inservice health of advanced technology coal/IGCC powerplants. The task focused on two critical sensing needs for advanced coal/IGCC gas turbines: (1) Fuel Quality Sensor to rapidly determine the fuel heating value for more precise control of the gas turbine, and detection of fuel impurities that could lead to rapid component degradation. (2) Infra-Red Pyrometer to continuously measure the temperature of gas turbine buckets, nozzles, and combustor hardware. Task 3--Advanced Methods for Combustion Monitoring and Control: The third task was originally to develop and validate advanced monitoring and control methods for coal/IGCC gas

In this paper an exergy optimization has been carried out for a cogeneration plant consisting of a gas turbine, which is operated in a Brayton cycle, and a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). In the analysis, objective functions of the total produced exergy and exergy efficiency have been defined as functions of the design parameters of the gas turbine and the HRSG. An equivalent temperature is defined as a new approach to model the exergy rate of heat transfer from the HRSG. The optimum design parameters of the cogeneration cycle at maximum exergy are determined and the effects of these parameters on exergetic performance are investigated. Some practical mathematical relations are also derived to find the optimum values of the adiabatic temperature ratio for given extreme temperatures and consumer temperature.

This dissertation addresses the rational design of intrinsically microporous solutionprocessable polyimides and ladder polymers for highly permeable and highly selective gas transport in cornerstone applications of membrane-based gas separation – that is, air enrichment, hydrogen recovery and natural gas sweetening. By virtue of rigid and contorted chains that pack inefficiently in the solid state, polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) have the potential to unite the solution-processability, mechanical flexibility and organic tunability of commercially relevant polymers with the microporosity characteristics of porous crystalline materials. The performance enhancements of PIMs over conventional low-free-volume polymers have been primarily permeability-driven, compromising the selectivity essential to commercial viability. An approach to unite high permeability with high selectivity for performance transcending the state-of-the-art in air and hydrogen separations was demonstrated via a fused-ring integration of a three-dimensional, shape persistent triptycene moiety optimally substituted with short, branched isopropyl chains at the 9,10-bridgeheads into a highly inflexible backbone. The resulting polymers exhibited selectivities (i.e., O2/N2, H2/N2, H2/CH4) similar to or higher than commercial materials matched with permeabilities up to three hundred times higher. However, the intra-chain rigidity central to such conventional PIM-design principles was not a singular solution to suppression of CO2-induced plasticization in CO2/CH4 mixedgas separations. Plasticization diminishes the sieving capacity of the membrane, resulting in costly hydrocarbon losses that have significantly limited the commercialization of new polymers. Unexpectedly, the most permeable and selective PIMs designed for air and hydrogen separations strongly plasticized in 50:50 CO2/CH4 mixtures, enduring up to three-fold increases in mixed-gas CH4 permeability by 30 bar and strong drops in

The control system of RSG-GAS secondary pump is the study for the operation existence of RSG-GAS secondary pump. The research is about characteristic of the secondary pump and its control system. The measuring of characteristic parameter of secondary cooling pump was being done while the pump running. The pump was loading with capacity 1950 m3/hr. with ambient temperature 28.5 oC. The fault effect of public grid (PLN) such as the fluctuation of both voltage and frequency likes voltage drops (dip). Supply block out that effect of the electric motor performances directly will be analyzed. How far those faults will effect the overall performance of secondary cooling system. Analyzing. Will be done according to the control system was installed. Has be done to find the direct effects of the motor performances against the motor rotation fluctuation which run from 1450 rpm to 1475 rpm. The using of start-delta starting method with delay time about 6 seconds, is enough or not to reduce the inrush starting current also analyzed in this paper. From the research can be obtained that in the steady state condition , the electric motor runs with both power and current are still under tolerances permitted. According to the analyzed data above, it will be consider that the control system of secondary pump would be modified or not. Therefore the analyzed data can show the characteristic curve of the secondary cooling system performance

Hydrogen sensors based on single Pd nanowires show promising results in speed, sensitivity, and ultralow power consumption. The utilization of single Pd nanowires, however, face challenges in nanofabrication, manipulation, and achieving ultrasmall transverse dimensions. We report on hydrogen sensors that take advantage of single palladium nanowires in high speed and sensitivity and that can be fabricated conveniently. The sensors are based on networks of ultrasmall (<10 nm) palladium nanowires deposited onto commercially available filtration membranes. We investigated the sensitivities and response times of these sensors as a function of the thickness of the nanowires and also compared them with a continuous reference film. The superior performance of the ultrasmall Pd nanowire network based sensors demonstrates the novelty of our fabrication approach, which can be directly applied to palladium alloy and other hydrogen sensing materials.

In the area of stationary power generation, there exists a growing interest in understanding the role that gaseous fuel composition plays on the performance of natural gas-fired gas turbine systems. In this study, an atmospherically fired model gas turbine combustor with a fuel flexible fuel/air premixer is employed to investigate the impact of significant amounts of ethane and propane addition into a baseline natural gas fuel supply. The impacts of these various fuel compositions, in terms o...

Full Text Available Reports of the gassensing properties of ZnSe are few, presumably because of the decomposition and oxidation of ZnSe at high temperatures. In this study, ZnSe nanowires were synthesized by the thermal evaporation of ZnSe powders and the sensingperformance of multiple-networked ZnSe nanowire sensors toward NO2 gas was examined. The results showed that ZnSe might be a promising gas sensor material if it is used at room temperature. The response of the ZnSe nanowires to 50 ppb–5 ppm NO2 at room temperature under dark and UV illumination conditions were 101–102% and 113–234%, respectively. The responses of the ZnSe nanowires to 5 ppm NO2 increased from 102 to 234% with increasing UV illumination intensity from 0 to 1.2 mW/cm2. The response of the ZnSe nanowires was stronger than or comparable to that of typical metal oxide semiconductors reported in the literature, which require higher NO2 concentrations and operate at higher temperatures. The origin of the enhanced response of the ZnSe nanowires towards NO2 under UV illumination is also discussed.

Highlights: ► High performance CO 2 and CO gas sensors were prepared via a simple route. ► CO 2 and CO gas-sensingperformance of LaOCl-coated ZnO nanowires were compared. ► The coating LaOCl enhanced response to both CO 2 as well as CO gases. ► The LaOCl-coating sensors had short response–recovery time to CO 2 , but not to CO. -- Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions from industries and combustion fuels such as coal, oil, hydrocarbon, and natural gases are increasing, thus causing environmental pollution and climate change. The selective detection of CO 2 and CO gases is important for environmental monitoring and industrial safety applications. In this work, LaOCl-coated ZnO nanowires (NWs) sensors are fabricated and characterized for the detection of CO 2 (250–4000 ppm) and CO (10–200 ppm) gases at different operating temperatures. The effects of the LaCl 3 coating concentration and calcination temperature of the sensors are studied. They are found to have a strong influence on the sensingperformance to CO 2 gas, but a relatively slight influence on that to CO. The LaOCl coating enhances the response and shortens the response and recovery times to CO 2 compared with those to CO. The enhanced response of the LaOCl-coated ZnO NW sensors is attributed to the extension of the electron depletion layer due to the formation of p-LaOCl/n-ZnO junctions on the surfaces of the ZnO NWs

This report summarizes the progress in the first eight months of the project. The objectives of this research project are to theoretically predict the steady operating conditions and the rotor dynamic coefficients of gas foil journal bearings. The project is currently on or ahead of schedule with the development of a finite element code that predicts steady bearing performance characteristics such as film thickness, pressure, load, and drag. Graphical results for a typical bearing are presented in the report. Project plans for the next year are discussed.

Full Text Available Sensing in opportunistic spectrum access (OSA has a responsibility to detect the available channel by performing binary hypothesis as busy or idle states. If channel is busy, secondary user (SU cannot access and refrain from data transmission. SU is allowed to access when primary user (PU does not use it (idle states. However, channel is sensed on imperfect communication link. Fading, noise and any obstacles existed can cause sensing errors in PU signal detection. False alarm detects idle states as a busy channel while miss-identification detects busy states as an idle channel. False detection makes SU refrain from transmission and reduces number of bits transmitted. On the other hand, miss-identification causes SU collide to PU transmission. This paper study the performance of OSA based on the greedy approach with sensing errors by the restriction of maximum collision probability allowed (collision threshold by PU network. The throughput of SU and spectrum capacity metric is used to evaluate OSA performance and make comparisons to those ones without sensing error as function of number of slot based on the greedy approach. The relations between throughput and signal to noise ratio (SNR with different collision probability as well as false detection with different SNR are presented. According to the obtained results show that CR users can gain the reward from the previous slot for both of with and without sensing errors. It is indicated by the throughput improvement as slot number increases. However, sensing on imperfect channel with sensing errors can degrade the throughput performance. Subsequently, the throughput of SU and spectrum capacity improves by increasing maximum collision probability allowed by PU network as well. Due to frequent collision with PU, the throughput of SU and spectrum capacity decreases at certain value of collision threshold. Computer simulation is used to evaluate and validate these works.

Embedded sensors capable of operation in extreme environments including high temperatures, high pressures, and highly reducing, oxidizing and/or corrosive environments can make a significant impact on enhanced efficiencies and reduced greenhouse gas emissions of current and future fossil-based power generation systems. Relevant technologies can also be leveraged in a wide range of other applications with similar needs including nuclear power generation, industrial process monitoring and control, and aviation/aerospace. Here we describe a novel approach to embedded sensing under extreme temperature conditions by integration of Au-nanoparticle based plasmonic nanocomposite thin films with optical fibers in an evanescent wave absorption spectroscopy configuration. Such sensors can potentially enable simultaneous temperature and gassensing at temperatures approaching 900-1000 °C in a manner compatible with embedded and distributed sensing approaches. The approach is demonstrated using the Au/SiO2 system deposited on silica-based optical fibers. Stability of optical fibers under relevant high temperature conditions and interactions with changing ambient gas atmospheres is an area requiring additional investigation and development but the simplicity of the sensor design makes it potentially cost-effective and may offer a potential for widespread deployment.

Dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is an established fact, however, its effect on toxic gassensing for the development of solid state resistive sensor was not well reported. In this report, the dispersion quality of SWCNTs has been investigated and improved, and this well-dispersed SWCNTs network was used for sensor fabrication to monitor nitrogen dioxide gas. Ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopic studies shows the strength of SWNTs dispersion and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging provides the morphological properties of the sensor device. In this gas sensor device, two sets of resistive type sensors were fabricated that consisting of a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) using dielectrophoresis technique with different SWCNTs network density. With low-density SWCNTs networks, this fabricated sensor exhibits a high response for nitrogen dioxide sensing. The sensing of nitrogen dioxide is mainly due to charge transfer from absorbed molecules to sidewalls of nanotube and tube-tube screening acting a major role for the transport properties of charge carriers.

Thin films of molybdenum trioxide (MoO{sub 3}) were deposited on common glass using the chemical spray pyrolysis technique. A (NH{sub 4}){sub 6}Mo{sub 7}O{sub 24}4H{sub 2}0 solution 0.1 M was used as the precursor one. The influence of substrate temperature on the crystallographic structure, surface morphology and electrical behavior of MoO{sub 3} thin films was studied. MoO{sub 3} can exist in two crystalline forms, the thermodynamically stable orthorhombic {alpha}-MoO{sub 3} and the metastable monoclinic {beta}-MoO{sub 3} phase. XRD-spectra showed a growth of {alpha}-MoO{sub 3} phase percentage as substrate temperature increases from 420 K up to 670 K. Films deposited in the 500-600 K range have a clearly porous surface structure of nanometer order as can be seen in SEM images. Changes up to six magnitude orders were observed in MoO{sub 3} thin films electrical resistance when films temperature varied from 100 K up to 500 K. The sensing property of these MoO{sub 3} films was also studied. The sensitivity was investigated in the temperature range 160 and 360 K for H{sub 2}O and CO gases, respectively. Both of them are of reducing nature. In all studied cases sensitivity decreases slowly as film temperature is raised. At room temperature the sensitivity changes from 12 up to 75% depending on substrate temperature. The sensitivity for CO gas was found to be lower than that of H{sub 2}O.

The direct release of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is important because it contributes to the global greenhouse gases (GHGs) release and strongly effects the WWTP carbon footprint. Biological nitrogen removal technologies could increase the direct emission of N2O (IPCC, 2006), while CH4 losses are of environmental, economic and safety concern. Currently, reporting of N2O and CH4 emissions from WWTPs are performed mainly using methods suggested by IPCC which are not site specific (IPCC, 2006). The dynamic tracer dispersion method (TDM), a ground based remote sensing approach implemented at DTU Environment, was demonstrated to be a novel and successful tool for full-scale CH4 and N2O quantification from WWTPs. The method combines a controlled release of tracer gas from the facility with concentration measurements downwind of the plant (Mønster et al., 2014; Yoshida et al., 2014). TDM in general is based on the assumption that a tracer gas released at an emission source, in this case a WWTP, disperses into the atmosphere in the same way as the GHG emitted from process units. Since the ratio of their concentrations remains constant along their atmospheric dispersion, the GHG emission rate can be calculated using the following expression when the tracer gas release rate is known: EGHG=Qtr*(CGHG/Ctr)*(MWGHG/MWtr) EGHG is the GHG emission in mass per time, Qtr is the tracer release in mass per time, CGHG and Ctr are the concentrations measured downwind in parts per billion subtracted of their background values and integrated over the whole plume, and MWGHG and MWtr are the molar weights of GHG and tracer gas respectively (Mønster et al. 2014). In this study, acetylene (C2H2) was used as tracer. Downwind plume concentrations were measured driving along transects with two cavity ring down spectrometers (Yoshida et al., 2014). TDM was successfully applied in different seasons at several Scandinavian WWTPs characterized by

Many artificial intelligence (AI) techniques equipped with learning systems have recently been proposed to monitor sensors and components in NPPs. Therefore, the objective of this study is the development of an integrity evaluation method for safety critical components such as Aux. feedwater pump, high pressure safety injection (HPSI) pump, etc. using smart sensing models based on AI techniques. In this work, the smart sensing model is developed at first to predict the performance of Aux. feedwater pump by estimating flowrate using group method of data handing (GMDH) method. If the performance prediction is achieved by this feasibility study, the smart sensing model will be applied to development of the integrity evaluation method for safety critical components. Also, the proposed algorithm for the performance prediction is verified by comparison with the simulation data of the MARS code for station blackout (SBO) events. In this study, the smart sensing model for the prediction performance of Aux. feedwater pump has been developed. In order to develop the smart sensing model, the GMDH algorithm is employed. The GMDH algorithm is the way to find a function that can well express a dependent variable from independent variables. This method uses a data structure similar to that of multiple regression models. The proposed GMDH model can accurately predict the performance of Aux

In this work, we show a simple way to functionalize tungsten oxide nanowires (WO{sub 3}-NWs) using a saturated palladium chloride (PdCl{sub 2}) solution deposited by a drop-casting method. WO{sub 3}-NWs were synthesized by close-spaced chemical vapor deposition (CSVT). The morphological and structural characterizations showed that the diameters of WO{sub 3}-NWs are in the range from 50 to 200 nm with lengths above 10 μm, and correspond to the orthorhombic phase of WO{sub 3}, respectively. The sensor was fabricated using the WO{sub 3}-NWs and tested with hydrogen and volatile organic compounds (VCO's). A comparative study was done on the sensingperformance, before and after the Palladium functionalization of the WO{sub 3}-NWs, considering a wide range of gas concentrations and moderate operating temperatures (100–400 °C). The results show that this simple functionalization process significantly increases the sensor sensitivity and reduces the time constants. In addition, it has been shown that at 300 °C the decorated sensor becomes more selective to hydrogen and xylene for all concentrations considered in this research. Finally, the mechanisms involved in improving the gassensing properties of WO{sub 3}-NWs functionalized with Palladium are discussed.

Full Text Available In this study, an integrated flexible gas sensor was developed based on a polymer/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite film by using Bluetooth wireless communication/interface technology. Polymer/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite films were deposited over a polyimide flexible substrate for building a gas sensor array by using a drop-casting method. Sensor response was acquired through interdigitated electrodes and multi-channel sensor boards, which were linked to a Bluetooth wireless transceiver. Additionally, a double-spiral-shaped heater was built into the backside of the gas sensor array as a thermostat to protect it from the influence of ambient temperature. Multi-channel sensing responses were read on a display screen via a smartphone application (app. The advantages of this system include light weight, low cost, highly integrated sensors, wireless telecommunication, and real-time functioning. Thus, it is a promising candidate for deployment in a wearable gas-sensing system used to study air pollution.

A push-pull ventilation system is effective for hazardous material exhaustion. Although a push-pull ventilation system has advantages over a local exhaust hood, some laborious adjustments are required. The pertinence of the adjustments is uncertain because it is difficult to evaluate the performance of a push-pull ventilation system quantitatively. In this study, a measurement of the capture efficiency of a push-pull ventilation system was carried out by means of a tracer gas method. The capture efficiency decreased to 39.3-78.5% when blockage material, a dummy worker and a cross draft, were set in the ventilation zone, but the efficiency was 95.1-97.9% when the cross draft was stopped. The results suggest that the uniform flow of a push-pull ventilation system will detour a blockage and the performance of the system will not be reduced unless a cross draft disturbs the uniform flow.

The analysis of ram accelerator performance is based on one-dimensional modelling of the flow process that propels the projectile. The conservation equations are applied to a control volume travelling with the projectile, and quasi-steady flow is assumed. To date the solution obtained, namely the generalized thrust equation, has been based on the ideal gas assumption. At the high level of pressure that is encountered during the ram accelerator process, this assumption cannot be regarded as adequate. Thus, a more appropriate equation of state (EOS) should be used instead. Depending upon the level of pressure, several equations of state are available for dense gaseous energetic materials. The virial type of EOS can be more or less sophisticated, depending upon the extent of complexity of the intermolecular modelling, and turns out to be totally appropriate for most gaseous explosive mixtures that have been investigated at moderate initial pressures, i.e., less than 10MPa. In the present case the Boltzmann EOS was applied. It is based on very simplified molecular interactions, which makes it relatively easy to use in calculations. Moreover, the energetic EOS needs to be taken into account. This concerns all the calorimetric coefficients, as well as the thermodynamic parameters, which can no longer be expressed as only a function of temperature. The higher the pressure level, the more sophisticated these corrections become, but the main relationships that account for real gas effects are basically the same. These include the use of a general form of analytical operators applied to correct the thermodynamic functions and coefficients. The equations governing the one-dimensional model were taken as a basis for the real gas corrections and were solved analytically. The parameters which play the most crucial roles in this correction can thus be highlighted. A complete set of equations involving the real gas effects are presented in this paper. The QUARTET code was used in

Full Text Available This paper investigates the performance of different configurations of gas turbine engines. A full numerical model for the engine is built. This model takes into account the variations in specific heat and the effects of turbine cooling flow. Also, the model considers the efficiencies of all component, effectiveness of heat exchangers and the pressure drop in relevant components. The model is employed to compare the engine performances in cases of employing intercooler, recuperation and reheat on a single spool gas turbine engine. A comparison is made between single-spool engine and two-spool engine with free power turbine. Also, the performance of the engine with inter-stage turbine burner is investigated and compared with engine employing the nominal reheat concept. The engine employing inter-stage turbine burners produces superior improvements in both net work and efficiency over all other configurations. The effects of ignoring the variations on specific heat of gases and turbine cooling flow on engine performance are estimated. Ignoring the variation in specific heat can cause up to 30% difference in net specific work. The optimum locations of the intercooler and the reheat combustor are determined using the numerical model of the engine. The maximum net specific work is obtained if the reheat combustor is placed at 40% of the expansion section. On the other hand, to get maximum efficiency the reheat combustor has to be placed at nearly 10%-20% of the expansion section. The optimum location of the intercooler is almost at 50% of the compression section for both maximum net specific work and efficiency.

The estimation of fossil-fuel CO2 emissions (ffCO2) from limited ground-based and satellite measurements of CO2 concentrations will form a key component of the monitoring of treaties aimed at the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. The limited nature of the measured data leads to a severely-underdetermined estimation problem. If the estimation is performed at fine spatial resolutions, it can also be computationally expensive. In order to enable such estimations, advances are needed in the spatial representation of ffCO2 emissions, scalable inversion algorithms and the identification of observables to measure. To that end, we investigate parsimonious spatial parameterizations of ffCO2 emissions which can be used in atmospheric inversions. We devise and test three random field models, based on wavelets, Gaussian kernels and covariance structures derived from easily-observed proxies of human activity. In doing so, we constructed a novel inversion algorithm, based on compressive sensing and sparse reconstruction, to perform the estimation. We also address scalable ensemble Kalman filters as an inversion mechanism and quantify the impact of Gaussian assumptions inherent in them. We find that the assumption does not impact the estimates of mean ffCO2 source strengths appreciably, but a comparison with Markov chain Monte Carlo estimates show significant differences in the variance of the source strengths. Finally, we study if the very different spatial natures of biogenic and ffCO2 emissions can be used to estimate them, in a disaggregated fashion, solely from CO2 concentration measurements, without extra information from products of incomplete combustion e.g., CO. We find that this is possible during the winter months, though the errors can be as large as 50%.

We propose a high-sweeping-speed optically synchronized dual-channel terahertz (THz) signal generator for an active gas-sensing system with a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixer. The generator can sweep a frequency range from 200 to 500 GHz at a speed of 375 GHz/s and a frequency resolution of 500 MHz. With the developed gas-sensing system, a gas-absorption-line measurement was successfully carried out with N(2)O gas in that frequency range.

Full Text Available Tungsten oxide nanoneedles (NNs are grown and integrated directly with polymeric transducing platforms for gas sensors via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD method. Material analysis shows the feasibility to grow highly crystalline nanomaterials in the form of NNs with aspect ratios between 80 and 200 and with high concentration of oxygen vacancies at the surface, whereas gas testing demonstrates moderate sensing responses to hydrogen at concentrations between 10 ppm and 50 ppm, which are comparable with results for tungsten oxide NNs grown on silicon transducing platforms. This method is demonstrated to be an attractive route to fabricate next generation of gas sensors devices, provided with flexibility and functionality, with great potential in a cost effective production for large-scale applications.

Full Text Available After the evaluation-for-diagnose tests for the 2009-2010 course have been given and the results of the national evaluation-for-diagnose of the previous year -carried out by the National Institute for Evaluation- are soon to be published, it looks quite convenient to reflect on the different resources that teachers have got at their reach to improve their mission. It looks self-evident that accountability of teachers' performance is necessary. In the present article, we provide reasons for such evaluation with motivation on legal grounds and aiming at some specific ends, to conclude with a proposal for all the segments of people involved in education.

Full Text Available A method of wet chemical synthesis suitable for high throughput and combinatorial applications has been developed for the synthesis of porous resistive thick-film gas sensors. This method is based on the robot-controlled application of unstable metal oxide suspensions on an array of 64 inter-digital electrodes positioned on an Al2O3 substrate. SnO2, WO3, ZrO2, TiO2, CeO2, In2O3 and Bi2O3 were chosen as base oxides, and were optimised by doping or mixed oxide formation. The parallel synthesis of mixed oxide sensors is illustrated by representative examples. The electrical characteristics and the sensor performance of the films were measured by high-throughput impedance spectroscopy while supplying various test gases (H2, CO, NO, NO2, propene. Data collection, data mining techniques applied and the best potential sensor materials discovered are presented.

Atmospheric methane (CH4) is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas with approximately 25 times the radiative forcing of carbon dioxide (CO2) per molecule. CH4 also contributes to pollution in the lower atmosphere through chemical reactions leading to ozone production. Recent developments of LIDAR measurement technology for CH4 have been previously reported by Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). In this paper, we report on a novel, high-performance tunable semiconductor laser technology developed by Freedom Photonics for the 1650nm wavelength range operation, and for LIDAR detection of CH4. Devices described are monolithic, with simple control, and compatible with low-cost fabrication techniques. We present 3 different types of tunable lasers implemented for this application.

In this thesis, field effect gas sensors (Schottky diodes, MOS capacitors, and MOSFET transistors) based on wide band gap semiconductors like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), as well as resistive gas sensors based on indium oxide (In{sub 2}O{sub 3}), have been developed for the detection of reducing gases (H{sub 2}, D{sub 2}) and oxidising gases (NO{sub x}, O{sub 2}). The development of the sensors has been performed at the Institute for Micro- and Nanoelectronic, Technical University Ilmenau in cooperation with (GE) General Electric Global Research (USA) and Umwelt-Sensor- Technik GmbH (Geschwenda). Chapter 1: serves as an introduction into the scientific fields related to this work. The theoretical fundamentals of solid-state gas sensors are provided and the relevant properties of wide band gap materials (SiC and GaN) are summarized. In chapter 2: The performance of Pt/GaN Schottky diodes with different thickness of the catalytic metal were investigated as hydrogen gas detectors. The area as well as the thickness of the Pt were varied between 250 {proportional_to} 250 {mu}m{sup 2} and 1000 {proportional_to} 1000 {mu}m{sup 2}, 8 and 40 nm, respectively. The response to hydrogen gas was investigated in dependence on the active area, the Pt thickness and the operating temperature for 1 vol.% hydrogen in synthetic air. We observed a significant increase of the sensitivity and a decrease of the response and recovery times by increasing the temperature of operation to about 350{sup o}C and by decreasing the Pt thickness down to 8 nm. Electron microscopy of the microstructure showed that the thinner platinum had a higher grain boundary density. The increase in sensitivity with decreasing Pt thickness points to the dissociation of molecular hydrogen on the surface, the diffusion of atomic hydrogen along the platinum grain boundaries and the adsorption of hydrogen at the Pt/GaN interface as a possible mechanism of sensing hydrogen by Schottky diodes. The

% compared to the reported CH{sub 4} emissions (50 ktCO{sub 2} yr{sup -1}) with an uncertainty of approximately ±13.5 %. In cases where no elevated CO{sub 2} or CH{sub 4} is observed, MAMAP data are useful to provide upper limit constraints as was shown for a marine gas seep. The inversion techniques developed in this work have the potential to provide the basis for quantification and independent validation of anthropogenic and natural point source emission rates. These concepts are not restricted to airborne applications and are of particular value also for future satellite remote sensing missions.

The European gas market reform triggered new market designs which aimed to achieve competitive natural gas prices, efficiency gains, and security of gas supply. The paper analyses to what extent the effects of regulation-for-competition on eco-nomic performance in the form of natural gas prices,

Full Text Available Ag@α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite having a core–shell structure was synthesized by a two-step reduction-sol gel approach, including Ag nanoparticles synthesis by sodium borohydride as the reducing agent in a first step and the subsequent mixing with a Fe+3 sol for α-Fe2O3 coating. The synthesized Ag@α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite has been characterized by various techniques, such as SEM, TEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The electrical and gassensing properties of the synthesized composite towards low concentrations of ethanol have been evaluated. The Ag@α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite showed better sensing characteristics than the pure α-Fe2O3. The peculiar hierarchical nano-architecture and the chemical and electronic sensitization effect of Ag nanoparticles in Ag@α-Fe2O3 sensors were postulated to play a key role in modulating gas-sensing properties in comparison to pristine α-Fe2O3 sensors.

The demanding problem of lack of selectivity in semiconducting oxide gas sensors was addressed by the combination of different technologies: shape and size selective catalysts (zeolites), chromium-titanium oxide sensing material and multi-electrode sensor arrays. Sensor devices were fabricated with additional shape and size selective catalysts (zeolites) of three different types (ZSM-5, (3 and Y) either printed over the top of the sensing material or admixed with it. The shape and size select...

Full Text Available The performance of underground gas storage in depleted oil reservoir was analysed with reservoir Y-19, a depleted oil reservoir in Southern region of the Niger Delta. Information on the geologic and production history of the reservoir were obtained from the available field data of the reservoir. The verification of inventory was done to establish the storage capacity of the reservoir. The plot of the well flowing pressure (Pwf against the flow rate (Q, gives the deliverability of the reservoir at various pressures. Results of the estimated properties signified that reservoir Y-19 is a good candidate due to its storage capacity and its flow rate (Q of 287.61 MMscf/d at a flowing pressure of 3900 psig

Membrane gas separation cascades are analyzed at steady state. The method of calculating the flow rate and concentration profiles in the cascade are examined, using formulas expressing the various membrane separation cell characteristics. The method adopted is applicable to relatively high concentrations and separation factors. Considerations are further given on the steady state performance of four theoretical forms of cascade: (a) with common value of cut for all stages, (b) with symmetric separation cells, (c) with no mixing at the junction at each stage, and (d) ideal cascade. The analysis showed that, with membrane cells, the ideal cascade would have a pressure ratio varying from stage to stage. The symmetric separation cascade would provide a separation performance lower than the ideal cascade on account of the mixing at the junctions of streams possessing different concentrations, whereas the cut and separation factor of the no-mixing cascade requiring minimum membrane area exhibits zig-zag curves when plotted against stage number. Both these circumstances contribute to the lower separation performance obtained with these two forms as compared with the ideal cascade, and results in larger total membrane area; but these semi-ideal forms retain the advantage of easy practical treatment with their pressure ratio common to all stages. (auth.)

Full Text Available Flower-like SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method by using SnCl4·5H2O and urea as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by using the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, electron microscopy (FESEM and TEM, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR techniques. SnO2 displays the unique 3D flower-like microstructure assembled with many uniform nanorods with the lengths and diameters of about 400–600 nm and 50–100 nm, respectively. For the SnO2/g-C3N4 composites, SnO2 flower-like nanorods were coupled by a lamellar structure 2D g-C3N4. Gassensingperformance test results indicated that the response of the sensor based on 7 wt. % 2D g-C3N4-decorated SnO2 composite to 500 ppm ethanol vapor was 150 at 340 °C, which was 3.5 times higher than that of the pure flower-like SnO2 nanorods-based sensor. The gassensing mechanism of the g-C3N4nanosheets-decorated SnO2 flower-like nanorods was discussed in relation to the heterojunction structure between g-C3N4 and SnO2.

Flower-like SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method by using SnCl4·5H2O and urea as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by using the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (FESEM and TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) techniques. SnO2 displays the unique 3D flower-like microstructure assembled with many uniform nanorods with the lengths and diameters of about 400–600 nm and 50–100 nm, respectively. For the SnO2/g-C3N4 composites, SnO2 flower-like nanorods were coupled by a lamellar structure 2D g-C3N4. Gassensingperformance test results indicated that the response of the sensor based on 7 wt. % 2D g-C3N4-decorated SnO2 composite to 500 ppm ethanol vapor was 150 at 340 °C, which was 3.5 times higher than that of the pure flower-like SnO2 nanorods-based sensor. The gassensing mechanism of the g-C3N4nanosheets-decorated SnO2 flower-like nanorods was discussed in relation to the heterojunction structure between g-C3N4 and SnO2. PMID:28937649

Full Text Available This research papers throws light into the compositional, morphological and structural properties of novel nanoparticles of Gd2S3:Eu3+ synthesized by a simple co-precipitation technique. Furthermore, we also prognosticate that this material could be useful for gassensing applications at room temperature. Nanostructures formulation by this method resulted in the formation of orthorhombic crystal structure with primitive lattice having space group Pnma. The material characterizations are performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX, thermo-gravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA and transmission electron microscope (TEM. The calculated crystallite sizes are ~ 2-5 nm and are in well accordance with the HRTEM results. EDX result confirms the presence and homogeneous distribution of Gd and Eu throughout the nanoparticle. The prepared nanoparticles exhibit strong paramagnetic nature with paramagnetic term, susceptibility c = 8.2 ´ 10-5 emg/g Gauss. TGA/DTA analysis shows 27 % weight loss with rise in temperature. The gassensing capability of the prepared Gd2S3:Eu3+ magnetic nanoparticles are investigated using the amperometric method. These nanoparticles show good I-V characteristics with ideal semiconducting nature at room temperature with and without ammonia dose. The observed room temperature sensitivity with increasing dose of ammonia indicates applicability of Gd2S3 nanoparticles as room temperature ammonia sensors.

Al, Pd co-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using a solution combustion method and subsequent annealing process under various atmospheres, including air, nitrogen, and hydrogen, were characterized using x-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The gas-sensing properties of the sensors based on the NPs were also examined. The results indicated that the Al, Pd co-doped ZnO NPs, with an average crystallite size of 10 nm, exhibited enhanced gas-sensingperformance compared with that of pure ZnO and Al-doped ZnO. The response of the Al, Pd co-doped ZnO NPs annealed in N2 to ethanol (49.22) was nearly 5.7 times higher than that to acetone (8.61) and approximately 20 - 27 times higher than that to benzene (2.38), carbon monoxide (2.23), and methane (1.78), which demonstrates their excellent selectivity to ethanol versus other gases. This high ethanol response can be attributed to the combined effects of the small size, Schottky barrier, lattice defects, and catalysis. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Using nanostructured composite materials is an effective way to obtain high-performancegas sensors. This work used p-type LaMnO3 perovskite-structured semiconductor as a novel promoter for SnO2 nanofibers and studied the gas-sensing characteristics. Nanofibers of 0-2.5-mol% LaMnO3/SnO2 were synthesized via one-pot electrospinning. Compared with pristine SnO2, LaMnO3/SnO2 composite nanofibers exhibited smaller particle size (10-30 nm) and higher BET surface area. XPS revealed that oxygen surface absorption decreased with increasing LaMnO3 content. 0.3-mol% LaMnO3/SnO2 exhibited significantly enhanced ethanol sensitivity relative to pristine SnO2. A response of 20 was obtained at the optimum temperature of 260 °C for 100-ppm ethanol. Higher LaMnO3 loading led to decrease of the ethanol response. The impact of LaMnO3 loading on the sensing behavior of SnO2 nanofibers was discussed in terms of p-n heterojunction formation and changes in the microstructure and catalytic properties.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Advances in spacesuits are required, to support the ISS and future human exploration. Spacesuit development and ground-based testing require sensing and analytical...

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Advances in spacesuits are required to support the ISS and future human exploration. Spacesuit development and ground-based testing tasks require sensing and...

Natural graphite was oxidized and exfoliated via two different methods, leading to two types of graphene oxide (GO) materials. The obtained materials were reduced by three different reducing agents including: hydrazine hydrate, ascorbic acid and sodium borohydride, giving thus six kinds of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) materials. The obtained materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The RGOs were then used to fabricate different gas sensors and their electrical resistances were recorded upon exposing to various volatile organic compounds vapors (VOCs). Gassensing selectivity of each RGO was significantly affected by the synthesis condition. The RGO-based sensor array was fabricated and its capability for discrimination of seven kinds of VOCs was evaluated, utilizing principal component analysis and cluster analysis methods. Loading plot indicated that the presence of five RGO-based sensors could effectively discriminate the aimed vapors. The electronic nose, containing five kinds of RGOs, was used for the classification of seven kinds of VOCs at their different concentrations. - Highlights: • Two oxidation procedures and three reducing agents were utilized to produce six kinds of RGOs. • The synthesized different RGOs exhibited significantly different sensing behaviors. • Seven kinds of organic vapors were chosen for the evaluation of discrimination power of EN. • Using PCA, it was found that seven of six RFGOs were appropriate number to use in final EN. • The developed EN was capable of properly discrimination of tested vapors.

Mid-infrared spectral region (2-4 μm) is gaining significant attention recently due to the presence of numerous enabling applications in the field of gassensing, medical, and defense applications. Gassensing in this spectral region is attractive due to the presence of numerous absorption lines for such gases as methane, ethane, ozone, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc. Sensing of the mentioned gas species is of particular importance for applications such as atmospheric LIDAR, petrochemical industry, greenhouse gas monitoring, etc. Defense applications benefit from the presence of covert atmospheric transmission window in the 2.1-2.3 micron band which is more eye-safe and offers less Rayleigh scattering than the conventional atmospheric windows in the near-infrared. Major requirement to enable these application is the availability of high-performance, continuous-wave laser sources in this window. Type-I GaSb-based laser diodes are ideal candidates for these applications as they offer direct emission possibility, high-gain and continuous wave operation. Moreover, due to the nature of type-I transition, these devices have a characteristic low operation voltage, which results in very low input powers and high wall-plug efficiency. In this work, we present recent results of 2 μm - 3.0 μm wavelength room-temperature CW light sources based on type-I GaSb developed at Brolis Semiconductors. We discuss performance of defense oriented high-power multimode laser diodes with < 1 W CW power output with over 30 % WPE as well as ~ 100 mW single TE00 Fabry-Perot chips. In addition, recent development efforts on sensing oriented broad gain superluminescent gain chips will be presented.

Nanocrystals with high-index facets usually exhibit higher catalytic activities than those with only low-index facets. Trapezohedron-shaped (TS) In2O3 particles with exposed high-index {211} facets were successfully synthesized in an oleic acid (OA) and trioctylamine (TOA) system. It has been demonstrated that the gassensing activity of TS In2O3 particles with exposed high-index {211} facets is higher than that of octahedron-shaped In2O3 particles with exposed low-index {111} facets.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the thermodynamic behaviour of a critical quantity of gaseous uranium-fluorides in chemical equilibrium with a graphite wall. From the very beginning a container was considered with cooled walls. As it was evident that a nuclear reactor working with gaseous fuel should run at much higher temperatures than classical LWR or HTGR reactors, most of the investigations were performed for walls with a surface temperature of 1800 to 2000 K. It was supposed that such a surface temperature would be technologically possible for a heat load between 1 and 5 MWatt m -2 . Cooling with high pressure helium-gas has to keep balance with this heat flux. The technical construction of such a wall will be a problem in itself. It is thought that the experiences with re-entry-vessels in space-technology can be used. A basic assumption in all the calculations is that the U-C-F reactor gas 'sees' a graphite wall, possibly graphite tiles supported by heat resistant materials like SiN 2 , SiC 2 and at a lower temperature level by niobium-steel. Such a gastight compound-system is not necessarily of high-tensile strength materials. It has to be surrounded by a cooled neutron moderator-reflector which in its turn must be supported by a steel-wall at room temperature holding pressure of the order of 100 bar (10 MPa). The design of such a compound-wall is a task for the future. 116 refs.; 28 figs.; 29 tabs

Small diameter cyclones represent a potential alternative for the removal of small diameter particles from gaseous mixtures as well as the environmental control of their emission. In order to establish feasible configurations of a small diameter cyclone applied in the separation of solid particles dispersed in a gas and considering a large quantify of experimental data in literature, neural networks were used to estimate the equipment grade efficiency and pressure drop. In order to evaluate a performance of many small diameters configurations and analysis was carried of parametrical sensibility which determines the most important variables on separation efficiency determination. A set of experimental runs was carried out in a lab-scale mini-cyclone in order to obtain the separation efficiency and pressure drop for different configurations, and evaluate the feasibility of coupling a post-cyclone device to improve the equipment overall performance. The cyclones used presented diameters of 0.03 and 0.05 m and the remaining dimensions varied proportionally about those found in Stairmand high-efficiency cyclones. Experimental separation efficiencies up to 99% were obtained in this work. These results confirm the feasibility of the experimental set-up configuration proposed. (author)

Helium is considered as one of the ideal working fluid for closed cycle using nuclear heat source due to its low neutron absorption as well as high thermodynamic properties. The commercial viability of the Helium turbo machinery depends on operational success. The past attempts failed due to poor performances manifested in the form of drop in efficiency, inability to reach maximum load, slow response to the transients etc. Radical changes in the basic design were suggested in some instances as possible solutions. A better understanding of the operational performance is necessary for the detailed design of the plant and the control systems. This paper describes the theory behind the off design and transient modelling of a closed cycle gas turbine plant. A computer simulation model has been created specifically for this cycle. The model has been tested for various turbine entry temperatures along the steady state and its replications at various locations were observed. The paper also looks at the various control methods available for a closed cycle and some of the options were simulated. (author)

Full Text Available The detection of cytosolic DNA, derived from pathogens or host cells, by cytosolic receptors is essential for appropriate host immune responses. Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS is a newly identified cytosolic DNA receptor that produces cyclic GMP-AMP, which activates stimulator of interferon genes (STING, resulting in TBK1-IRF3 pathway activation followed by the production of type I interferons. Here we report the crystal structure of human cGAS. The structure revealed that a cluster of lysine and arginine residues forms the positively charged DNA binding surface of human cGAS, which is important for the STING-dependent immune activation. A structural comparison with other previously determined cGASs and our functional analyses suggested that a conserved zinc finger motif and a leucine residue on the DNA binding surface are crucial for the DNA-specific immune response of human cGAS, consistent with previous work. These structural features properly orient the DNA binding to cGAS, which is critical for DNA-induced cGAS activation and STING-dependent immune activation. Furthermore, we showed that the cGAS-induced activation of STING also involves the activation of the NF-κB and IRF3 pathways. Our results indicated that cGAS is a DNA sensor that efficiently activates the host immune system by inducing two distinct pathways.

Pure and Cu surface deposited SnO{sub 2} thin films have been prepared on soda-lime substrate using the sol-gel technique. The sensing CO gas properties were investigated in 230 nm in thickness thin films. Pure thin films were wetted with several layers of Cu. The sensors were fabricated and proved at 0, 1, 5, 50, 100 and 200 ppm concentration CO gas and at 23, 100, 200 and 300 C working temperatures. The structural, morphology, electrical and optical properties of such thin films are reported. The route of 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine was used. The resistance was high for all the samples. As was proposed, all the samples resulted enough amorphous and so the X-ray diffraction spectra show such structural state. the surface morphology for the samples was characterized by SEM and also by AFM techniques. (Author)

In this paper, we report the synthesis, characterizations and gassensing application of 2D Sn-doped ZnO ultrathin nanosheet networks synthesized by a simple and facile hydrothermal process. The synthesized nanosheets were characterized using several techniques in terms of their morphological, structural, optical and compositional properties. The detailed characterizations confirmed that the nanosheets are pure, grown in high-density, possessing well-crystalline wurtzite hexagonal phase and exhibiting good optical properties. Further, the synthesized nanosheets were used as functional material to develop nanosensor device by coating it on the alumina substrate with suitable electrodes. The fabricated sensor device was tested towards acetone gas which exhibited a maximum sensitivity of 5.556 (Ra/Rg) for 200 ppm of acetone at 320 °C.

A study of the surface and gas–sensitive properties of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films modified with gold nanoparticles and synthesized by the successive ionic layer deposition (SILD) method was conducted. In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films were prepared using the spray pyrolysis method. The gas-sensing characteristics were tested using CO, H{sub 2}, and O{sub 3} as target gases. It has been shown that the surface modification with gold nanoparticles gives the opportunity to optimize the response of In{sub 2}O{sub 3}-based gas sensors to both reducing (CO, H{sub 2}) and oxidizing (O{sub 3}) gases. It has been found that the sensitizing effect during ozone detection was significantly higher than the effect during CO and H{sub 2} detection. It has been demonstrated that the sensitizing effect depended on the number of SILD cycles used for gold nanoparticle deposition and was maximal for the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} surface decorated with gold nanoparticles with the smallest size. The mechanism of the gold nanoparticles' influence on the gas-sensing properties of the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} films is also discussed. It is suggested that to explain the observed effects, we have to consider both the “electronic” and “chemical” mechanisms of sensitization. Suggestions for studies to be carried out to further improve both the understanding of the nature of the gas-sensitive effects and the parameters of In{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Au-based gas sensors are also formulated. - Highlights: • In{sub 2}O{sub 3} gas sensors modified with gold nanoparticles using SILD method are studied. • AuNPs exhibit activity during interaction with either reducing or oxidizing gases. • Maximal effect of optimization is observed during ozone detection. • Sensitizing effect depends on the number of SILD cycles. • Proposed mechanisms explain effects observed in the In{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Au based gas sensors.

Full Text Available The present work discusses and compares the toluene sensing behavior of polyaniline (PANI and graphene/polyaniline nanocomposite (C-PANI films. The graphene–PANI ratio in the nanocomposite polymer film is optimized at 1:2. For this, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP solvent is used to prepare PANI-NMP solution as well as graphene-PANI-NMP solution. The films are later annealed at 230 °C, characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM as well Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and tested for their sensing behavior towards toluene. The sensing behaviors of the films are analyzed at different temperatures (30, 50 and 100 °C for 100 ppm toluene in air. The nanocomposite C-PANI films have exhibited better overall toluene sensing behavior in terms of sensor response, response and recovery time as well as repeatability. Although the sensor response of PANI (12.6 at 30 °C, 38.4 at 100 °C is comparatively higher than that of C-PANI (8.4 at 30 °C, 35.5 at 100 °C, response and recovery time of PANI and C-PANI varies with operating temperature. C-PANI at 50 °C seems to have better toluene sensing behavior in terms of response time and recovery time.

This reports on a project to develop low BTU gas fuel nozzle for use in large gas turbine combustors using multiple fuel nozzles. A rich-quench-lean combustor is described here which reduces the amount of NO{sub x} produced by the combustion of the low BTU gas. The combustor incorporates a converging rich stage combustor liner, which separates the rich stage recirculation zones from the quench stage and lean stage air.

Oxygen sensing properties of HoBa2Cu3O7-δ ceramic rods utilizing hot-spot phenomenon have been characterized. The rods were prepared from high purity oxides using the conventional solid-state reaction method. I-V characterization showed increase in output current with voltage before the appearance of the hot spot. After the appearance of the hot-spot, the output current strongly depended on oxygen partial pressure. The rod showed stable sensing characteristics with good electrical stability and reproducibility with higher sensitivity at low oxygen partial pressure. The sensing property is associated with the absorption of oxygen and dissociation into holes and oxide ions. Ho123 is more sensitive at pO2 below 20% compared to Er123 possibly due to differences in oxygen activation energy related to RE ionic radius.

Oxygen sensing properties of HoBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ ceramic rods utilizing hot-spot phenomenon have been characterized. The rods were prepared from high purity oxides using the conventional solid-state reaction method. I-V characterization showed increase in output current with voltage before the appearance of the hot spot. After the appearance of the hot-spot, the output current strongly depended on oxygen partial pressure. The rod showed stable sensing characteristics with good electrical stability and reproducibility with higher sensitivity at low oxygen partial pressure. The sensing property is associated with the absorption of oxygen and dissociation into holes and oxide ions. Ho123 is more sensitive at pO 2 below 20% compared to Er123 possibly due to differences in oxygen activation energy related to RE ionic radius.

Full Text Available The paper presents the results from testing a Volkswagen 1.9 D diesel engine on a test bench to work on gas-diesel cycle with oxyhydrogen gas mixture. Experimental research is done to show the impact of oxyhydrogen gas mixture on engine consumption and environmental indexes such as: fuel and specific fuel consumption; carbon monoxide; carbon dioxide; oxides of nitrogen; smoke emissions. The oxyhydrogen gas mixture delivered to the engine intake manifold with constant flow rate. The results are obtained under research contract № 6524-4/2016.

Full Text Available The sensors are required basically for monitoring of trace gases in environment. In order to detect, measure and control these gases; one should know the amount and type of gases present in the environment. Among the most toxic and hazardous gases, it is necessary to detect and monitor the ammonia gas because this is enhance in the agricultural sector by the addition of large amounts of NH3 to cultivated farmland in the form of fertilizers. Nanocrystalline spinel type Zn1-xCuxFe2O4 (x=0, 0.2, 0.4 0.6 & 0.8 has been synthesized by sol-gel citrate method. The synthesized powders were characterized by XRD and SEM. The results revealed that the particle size is in the range of 40–45 nm for Cu–Zn ferrite with good crystallinity. The gassensing properties were studied towards reducing gases like CO, LPG, NH3 and H2S and it is observed that Cu–Zn ferrite shows high response to ammonia gas at relatively lower operating temperature. The Zn0.6Cu0.4Fe2O4 nanomaterial shows better sensitivity towards NH3 gas at an operating temperature 300 0C. Incorporation of Pd improved the sensitivity, selectivity, response time and reduced the operating temperature from 300 0C to 250 0C for NH3 sensor.

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant converts coal to syngas, which is mainly composed of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, by the gasification process and produces electric power by the gas and steam turbine combined cycle power plant. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of using syngas in a gas turbine, originally designed for natural gas fuel, on its performance. A commercial gas turbine is selected and variations of its performance characteristics due to adopting syngas is analyzed by simulating off-design gas turbine operation. Since the heating value of the syngas is lower, compared to natural gas, IGCC plants require much larger fuel flow rate. This increase the gas flow rate to the turbine and the pressure ratio, leading to far larger power output and higher thermal efficiency. Examination of using two different syngases reveals that the gas turbine performance varies much with the fuel composition

Extrachromosomal telomere repeat (ECTR) DNA is unique to cancer cells that maintain telomeres through the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway, but the role of ECTRs in ALT development remains elusive. We found that induction of ECTRs in normal human fibroblasts activated the cGAS-STING-TBK1-IRF3 signaling axis to trigger IFNβ production and a type I interferon response, resulting in cell-proliferation defects. In contrast, ALT cancer cells are commonly defective in sensing cytosolic DNA. We found that STING expression was inhibited in ALT cancer cell lines and transformed ALT cells. Notably, the ALT suppressors histone H3.3 and the ATRX-Daxx histone chaperone complex were also required to activate the DNA-sensing pathway. Collectively, our data suggest that the loss of the cGAS-STING pathway may be required to evade ECTR-induced anti-proliferation effects and permit ALT development, and this requirement may be exploited for treatments specific to cancers utilizing the ALT pathway.

We report the preparation of micro- and nano-scale hollow TiO 2 fibers using a coaxial electrospinning technique and their gassensing properties in terms of CO. The diameter of hollow TiO 2 fibers can be controlled from 200 nm to several micrometers by changing the viscosity of electrospinning solutions. Lower viscosities produce slim hollow nanofibers. In contrast, fat hollow microfibers are obtained in the case of higher viscosities. A simple mathematical expression is presented to predict the change in diameter of hollow TiO 2 fibers as a function of viscosity. The successful control over the diameter of hollow TiO 2 fibers is expected to bring extensive applications. To test a potential use of hollow TiO 2 fibers in chemical gas sensors, their sensing properties to CO are investigated at room temperature. - Graphical abstract: Microstructures of as-prepared and calcined hollow TiO 2 fibers prepared by the electrospinning technique with a coaxial needle. Dynamic response at various CO concentrations for the sensor fabricated with the hollow TiO 2 fibers. Highlights: → Hollow TiO 2 fibers were synthesized using a coaxial electrospinning technique. → Their diameter can be controlled by changing the viscosity of electrospinning solutions. → Lower viscosities produce slim hollow nanofibers. → In contrast, fat hollow microfibers are obtained in the case of higher viscosities. → Successful control over the diameter of hollow TiO 2 fibers will bring extensive applications.

The Pickens Plan is a highly promoted U.S. energy strategy, proposing to use natural gas as a transportation fuel to : displace imported oil and, simultaneously, to increase renewable contributions to national electricity production. While the ...

This acute data collection study evaluated the performance of a right atrial (RA) automatic capture verification (ACV) algorithm based on evoked response sensing from two electrode configurations during independent unipolar pacing. RA automatic threshold tests were conducted. Evoked response signals were simultaneously recorded between the RA(Ring) electrode and an empty pacemaker housing electrode (RA(Ring)-->Can) and the electrically isolated Indifferent header electrode (RA(Ring)-->Ind). The atrial evoked response (AER) and the performance of the ACV algorithm were evaluated off-line using each sensing configuration. An accurate threshold measurement was defined as within 0.2 V of the unipolar threshold measured manually. Threshold tests were designed to fail for small AER (AER signals were analyzed from 34 patients who were indicated for a pacemaker (five), implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (11), or cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (six) or defibrillator (12). The minimum AER amplitude was larger (P Can (1.6+/-0.9 mV) than from RA(Ring)-->Ind (1.3+/-0.8 mV). The algorithm successfully measured the pacing threshold in 96.8% and 91.0% of tests for RA(Ring)-->Can and RA(Ring)-->Ind, respectively. No statistical difference between the unipolar and bipolar pacing threshold was observed. The RA(Ring)-->Can AER sensing configuration may provide a means of implementing an independent pacing/sensing method for ACV in the RA. RA bipolar pacing therapy based on measured RA unipolar pacing thresholds may be feasible.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose to develop a compact, robust, optically-based sensor for local and remote sensing of oxygen (O2) at 1.26 µm, carbon dioxide (CO2) at 1.56 µm and other...

construction of more or less intelligent ensembles, which integrate actuating, sensing and computing subsystems. (Mair 1993). Detection of various gases using solid- ..... The Cr and Cu activators can create artificial surface states in the midgap region, leading to unusual physical and chemical properties. For example, the ...

Photosynthesis and evapotranspiration (ET) are the two most important activities of vegetation and make a great contribution to carbon, water and energy exchanges. Remote sensing provides opportunities for monitoring these processes across time and space. This study focuses on tracking diurnal changes of photosynthesis and evapotranspiration over soybean using multiple measurement techniques. Diurnal changes of both remote sensing-based indicators, including active and passive chlorophyll fluorescence and biophysical-related parameters, including photosynthesis rate (photo) and leaf stomatal conductance (cond), were observed. Results showed that both leaf-level steady-state fluorescence (Fs) and canopy-level solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence were linearly correlated to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) during the daytime. A double-peak diurnal change curve was observed for leaf-level photo and cond but not for Fs or SIF. Photo and cond showed a strong nonlinear (second-order) correlation, indicating that photosynthesis, which might be remotely sensed by SIF, has the opportunity to track short-term changes of ET. Results presented in this report will be helpful for better understanding the relationship between remote-sensing-based indices and vegetation's biophysical processes.

Mixed matrix membranes that comprise domains of organic and inorganic components are investigated in this research. Such materials effectively circumvent the polymeric 'upper bound trade-off curve' and show properties highly attractive for industrial gas separations. Nevertheless, lack of intrinsic compatibility between the organic polymers and inorganic fillers poses the biggest challenge to successful fabrication of mixed matrix membranes. Consequently, control of the nanoscale interface between the sieve and polymer has been the key technical challenge to the implementation of composite membrane materials. The overarching goal of this research was to devise and explore approaches to enhance the performance of mixed matrix membranes by properly tailoring the sieve/polymer interface. In an effort to pursue the aforementioned objective, three approaches were developed and inspected: (i) use of silane coupling agents, (ii) hydrophobizing of sieve surface through alcohol etherification reactions, and (iii) a two-step modification sequence involving the use of a Grignard reagent. A comparison was drawn to evaluate these methodologies and the most effective strategy (Grignard treatment) was selected and further investigated. Successful formulation and characterization of mixed matrix membranes constituting zeolite 4A modified via the Grignard treatment are described in detail. Membranes with impressive improvements in gas separation efficiency and mechanical properties were demonstrated. The basis for the improvements in polymer/sieve compatibility enabled by this specific process were proposed and investigated. A key aspect of the present study was illuminating the detailed chemical mechanisms involved in the Grignard modification. Systematic characterization and carefully designed experiments revealed that the formation of distinctive surface structures is essentially a heterogeneous nucleation process, where Mg(OH)2 crystals grow from the nuclei previously extracted

Research and development program for helium gas compressor aerodynamics was planned for the power conversion system of the Gas Turbine High Temperature Reactor (GTHTR300). The axial compressor with polytropic efficiency of 90% and surge margin more than 30% was designed with 3-dimensional aerodynamic design. Performance and surge margin of the helium gas compressor tends to be lower due to the higher boss ratio which makes the tip clearance wide relative to the blade height, as well as due to a larger number of stages. The compressor was designed on the basis of methods and data for the aerodynamic design of industrial open-cycle gas-turbine. To validate the design of the helium gas compressor of the GTHTR300, aerodynamic performance tests were planned, and a 1/3-scale, 4-stage compressor model was designed. In the tests, the performance data of the helium gas compressor model will be acquired by using helium gas as a working fluid. The maximum design pressure at the model inlet is 0.88 MPa, which allows the Reynolds number to be sufficiently high. The present study is entrusted from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. (author)

Master's thesis in Petroleum engineering The J-shaped gas-lift well showed complex dynamic phenomena. The downward inclination of the J-shaped well introduces periodic waves over time as a result of mixing gas and liquid. This behavior introduces periodic fluctuations of the superficial gas and liquid velocities along tubing. The velocity fluctuation is due to the accumulation of liquid in the heel of the inclined section of J-shaped well and the development of reservoir gas pressure to o...

Foil bearings are self-acting hydrodynamics devices used to support high speed rotating machinery. The advantages that they offer to process fluid lubricated machines include: high rotational speed capability, no auxiliary lubrication system, non-contacting high speed operation, and improved damping as compared to rigid hydrodynamic bearings. NASA has had a sporadic research program in this technology for almost 6 decades. Advances in the technology and understanding of foil journal bearings have enabled several new commercial products in recent years. These products include oil-free turbochargers for both heavy trucks and automobiles, high speed electric motors, microturbines for distributed power generation, and turbojet engines. However, the foil thrust bearing has not received a complimentary level of research and therefore has become the weak link of oil-free turbomachinery. In an effort to both provide machine designers with basic performance parameters and to elucidate the underlying physics of foil thrust bearings, NASA Glenn Research Center has completed an effort to experimentally measure the performance of simple gas foil thrust bearing in air. The database includes simple bump foil supported thrust bearings with full geometry and manufacturing techniques available to the user. Test conditions consist of air at ambient pressure and temperatures up to 500 C and rotational speeds to 55,000 rpm. A complete set of axial load, frictional torque, and rotational speed is presented for two different compliant sub-structures and inter-pad gaps. Data obtained from commercially available foil thrust bearings both with and without active cooling is presented for comparison. A significant observation made possible by this data set is the speed-load capacity characteristic of foil thrust bearings. Whereas for the foil journal bearing the load capacity increases linearly with rotational speed, the foil thrust bearing operates in the hydrodynamic high speed limit. In

Combustion of hydrogen gas fuel between blade rows realizes the internal reheat gas turbine (IRGT), which can be extended to a multi stage reheat gas turbine. Thermodynamic analysis was performed on three kinds of multi-stage reheat gas turbine cycles with regenerator. The first one is a regenerative reheat gas turbine system with a hydrogen gas preheater and a steam generator. The second one is the first one with a steam injection at the exit of compressor. The third one is the first one com...

The interactions between four different graphenes (including pristine, B- or N-doped and defective graphenes) and small gas molecules (CO, NO, NO 2 and NH 3 ) were investigated by using density functional computations to exploit their potential applications as gas sensors. The structural and electronic properties of the graphene-molecule adsorption adducts are strongly dependent on the graphene structure and the molecular adsorption configuration. All four gas molecules show much stronger adsorption on the doped or defective graphenes than that on the pristine graphene. The defective graphene shows the highest adsorption energy with CO, NO and NO 2 molecules, while the B-doped graphene gives the tightest binding with NH 3 . Meanwhile, the strong interactions between the adsorbed molecules and the modified graphenes induce dramatic changes to graphene's electronic properties. The transport behavior of a gas sensor using B-doped graphene shows a sensitivity two orders of magnitude higher than that of pristine graphene. This work reveals that the sensitivity of graphene-based chemical gas sensors could be drastically improved by introducing the appropriate dopant or defect.

A compact gas to gas heat exchanger needs large heat transfer areas on both fluid sides. This can be realised by adding secondary surfaces. The secondary surfaces are plate fin, strip fin, and louvered fin, etc. The fins extend the heat transfer surfaces and promote turbulence. This paper presents a

Full Text Available An outstanding issue in the oil and gas industry is how to evaluate quantitatively the influences of water production on production performance of gas wells. Based on gas–water flow theories, therefore, a new method was proposed in this paper to evaluate quantitatively the production performance of water-producing gas wells by using gas & water relative permeability curves after a comparative study was conducted thoroughly. In this way, quantitative evaluation was performed on production capacity, gas production, ultimate cumulative gas production and recovery factor of water-producing gas wells. Then, a case study was carried out of the tight sandstone gas reservoirs with strong heterogeneity in the Sulige gas field, Ordos Basin. This method was verified in terms of practicability and reliability through a large amount of calculation based on the actual production performance data of various gas wells with different volumes of water produced. Finally, empirical formula and charts were established for water-producing gas wells in this field to quantitatively evaluate their production capacity, gas production, ultimate cumulative gas production and recovery factor in the conditions of different water–gas ratios. These formula and charts provide technical support for the field application and dissemination of the method. Study results show that water production is serious in the west of this field with water–gas ratio varying in a large range. If the average water–gas ratio is 1.0 (or 2.0 m3/104 m3, production capacity, cumulative gas production and recovery factor of gas wells will be respectively 24.4% (or 40.2%, 24.4% (or 40.2% and 17.4% (or 33.2%.

Optical gas detection in microsystems is limited by the short micron scale optical path length available. Recently, the concept of slow-light enhanced absorption has been proposed as a route to compensate for the short path length in miniaturized absorption cells. We extend the previous perturbat......Optical gas detection in microsystems is limited by the short micron scale optical path length available. Recently, the concept of slow-light enhanced absorption has been proposed as a route to compensate for the short path length in miniaturized absorption cells. We extend the previous...... path length for visible to near-infrared detection (760 nm) can be reduced by at least a factor of 102, making a path length of 1 mm feasible. By using this technique, optical gas detection can potentially be made possible in microsystems....

Mechanical properties of individual shale formations are predominantly determined by their lithology, which reflects sedimentary facies distribution, and subsequent diagenetic and tectonic alterations. Shale rocks may exhibit complex elasto-viscoplastic deformation mechanisms depending on the rate of deformation and the amount of clay minerals, also bearing implications for subcritical crack growth and heterogeneous fracture network development. Thus, geomechanics for unconventional resources differs from conventional reservoirs due to inelastic matrix behavior, stress sensitivity, rock anisotropy and low matrix permeability. Effective horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies are required to obtain and maintain high performance. Success of these techniques strongly depends on the geomechanical investigations of shales. An inelastic behavior of shales draws increasing attention of investigators [1], due to its role in stress relaxation between fracturing phases. A strong mechanical anisotropy in the vertical plane and a lower and more variable one in the horizontal plane are characteristic for shale rocks. The horizontal anisotropy plays an important role in determining the direction and effectiveness of propagation of technological hydraulic fractures. Non-standard rock mechanics laboratory experiments are being applied in order to obtain the mechanical properties of shales that have not been previously studied in Poland. Novel laboratory investigations were carried out to assess the creep parameters and to determine time-dependent viscoplastic deformation of shale samples, which can provide a limiting factor to tectonic stresses and control stress change caused by hydraulic fracturing. The study was supported by grant no.: 13-03-00-501-90-472946 "An integrated geomechanical investigation to enhance gas extraction from the Pomeranian shale formations", funded by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR). References: Ch. Chang M. D

Because of the synergistic effects (higher efficiencies, lower emissions) of combining a fuel cell and a gas turbine into a power generation system, many potential system configurations were studied. This work is focused on novel power plant systems by combining gas turbines, solid oxide fuel cells, and a high-temperature heat exchanger; these systems are ideal for the distributed power and on- site markets in the 1-5 MW size range.

Full Text Available We report the fabrication and characterization of surface acoustic wave (SAW hydrogen sensors using palladium-graphene (Pd-Gr nanocomposite as sensing material. The Pd-Gr nanocomposite as sensing layer was deposited onto SAW delay line sensor-based interdigitated electrodes (IDTs/aluminum nitride (AlN/silicon (Si structure. The Pd-Gr nanocomposite was synthesized by a chemical route and deposited onto SAW sensors by air-brush spraying. The SAW H2 sensor using Pd-Gr nanocomposite as a sensing layer shows a frequency shift of 25 kHz in 0.5% H2 concentration at room temperature with good repeatability and stability. Moreover, the sensor showed good linearity and fast response/recovery within ten seconds with various H2 concentrations from 0.25 to 1%. The specific interaction between graphene and SAW transfer inside AlN/Si structures yields a high sensitivity and fast response/recovery of SAW H2 sensor based on Pd-Gr/AlN/Si structure.

Energy consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in ceramic firing process accounts for about 15–40% of production cost. Biomass derived producer gas may be used to replace LPG. In this work, a premixed burner originally designed for LPG was modified for producer gas. Its thermal performance in terms of axial and radial flame temperature distribution, thermal efficiency and emissions was investigated. The experiment was conducted at various gas production rates with equivalence ratios betw...

The current work presents the results of an experimental study of the effects of the location of gold additives on the performance of combustion-generated tin dioxide (SnO2) nanopowders in solid state gas sensors. The time response and sensor response to 500 ppm carbon monoxide is reported for a range of gold additive/SnO2 film architectures including the use of colloidal, sputtered, and combustion-generated Au additives. The opportunities afforded by combustion synthesis to affect the SnO2/additive morphology are demonstrated. The best sensor performance in terms of sensor response (S) and time response (τ) was observed when the Au additives were restricted to the outermost layer of the gas-sensing film. Further improvement was observed in the sensor response and time response when the Au additives were dispersed throughout the outermost layer of the film, where S = 11.3 and τ = 51 s, as opposed to Au localized at the surface, where S = 6.1 and τ = 60 s. PMID:22163586

Analyzing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath effectively is crucial to medical treatment, which can provide a fast and noninvasive way to diagnose disease. Well-designed materials with controlled structures have great influence on the sensingperformance. In this work, the ordered three dimensional inverse opal (3DIO) macroporous In2O3 films with additional via-hole architectures were fabricated and different amounts of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were loaded on the In2O3 films aiming at enhancing their electrical responses. The gassensing to acetone toward diabetes diagnosis in exhaled breath was performed with different Au/In2O3 electrodes. Representatively, the best 3DIO Au/In2O3 sensor can detect acetone effectively at 340 °C with response of 42.4 to 5 ppm, the actual detection limit is as low as 20 ppb, and it holds a dynamic response of 11 s and a good selectivity. Moreover, clinical tests proved that the as-prepared 3DIO Au/In2O3 IO sensor could distinguish acetone biomarkers in human breath clearly. The excellent gassensing properties of the Au/In2O3 electrodes were attributed to the "spillover effects" between Au and In2O3 and the special 3DIO structure. This work indicates that 3DIO Au/In2O3 composite is a promising electrode material for actual application in the monitoring and detection of diabetes through exhaled breath.

Integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) provides a great opportunity for clean utilization of coal while maintaining the advantage of high energy efficiency brought by gas turbines. A challenging problem arising from the integration of an existing gas turbine to an IGCC system is the performance change of the gas turbine due to the shift of fuel from natural gas to synthesis gas, or syngas, mainly consisting of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Besides the change of base-load performance, which has been extensively studied, the change of part-load performance is also of great significance for the operation of a gas turbine and an IGCC plant. In this paper, a detailed mathematical model of a syngas fired gas turbine is developed to study its part-load performance. A baseline is firstly established using the part-load performance of a natural gas fired gas turbine, then the part-load performance of the gas turbine running with different compositions of syngas is investigated and compared with the baseline. Particularly, the impacts of the variable inlet guide vane, the degree of fuel dilution, and the degree of air bleed are investigated. Results indicate that insufficient cooling of turbine blades and a reduced compressor surge margin are the major factors that constrain the part-load performance of a syngas fired gas turbine. Results also show that air bleed from the compressor can greatly improve the working condition of a syngas fired gas turbine, especially for those fired with low lower heating value syngas. The regulating strategy of a syngas fired gas turbine should also be adjusted in accordance to the changes of part-load performance, and a reduced scope of constant TAT (turbine exhaust temperature) control mode is required.

Parallel-aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofibrous films fabricated by using electrospinning technique were used in gas sensors for the detection of .... of the sensor were measured on a static system in laboratory condition (25 ... SEM images of fibres before being sintered (b), after being sintered (c) and high magnification (d).

Graphene, consisting of a single carbon layer in a two-dimensional (2D) lattice, has been a promising material for application to nanoelectrical devices in recent years. In this study we report the development of a useful ammonia (NH 3 ) gas sensor based on graphene–silver nanowires ‘composite’ with planar electrode structure. The basic strategy involves three steps: (i) preparation of graphene oxide (GO) by modified Hummers method; (ii) synthesis of silver nanowires by polyol method; and (iii) preparation of graphene and silver nanowires on two electrodes using spin and spray-coating of precursor solutions, respectively. Exposure of this sensor to NH 3 induces a reversible resistance change at room temperature that is as large as ΔR/R 0 ∼ 28% and this sensitivity is eight times larger than the sensitivity of the ‘intrinsic’ graphene based NH 3 gas sensor (ΔR/R 0 ∼ 3,5%). Their responses and the recovery times go down to ∼200 and ∼60 s, respectively. Because graphene synthesized by chemical methods has many defects and small sheets, it cannot be perfectly used for gas sensor or for nanoelectrical devices. The silver nanowires are applied to play the role of small bridges connecting many graphene islands together to improve electrical properties of graphene/silver nanowires composite and result in higher NH 3 gas sensitivity. (paper)

A simple Kretschmann–Raether-type prism-based plasmonic device consisting of a glass prism, Au-WO3− nanocomposite film and various gas samples is considered. Complex permittivity for both stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric Au-WO3− nanocomposite films has been used for the simulation of the admittance ...

The natural gas distribution system in the U.S. has a total of 1.2 million miles of mains and about 65 million service lines as of 2012 [1]. This distribution system consists of various material types and is subjected to various threats which vary ac...

A new sensitive gas sensor based on a self-assembled monolayer field-effect transistor (SAMFET) was used to detect the biomarker nitric oxide. A SAMFET based sensor is highly sensitive because the analyte and the active channel are separated by only one monolayer. SAMFETs were functionalised for

Parallel-aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofibrous films fabricated by using electrospinning technique were used in gas sensors for the detection of ethanol and ... State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, P.R. China; Zhuxi ...

Highlights: → A room temperature solid-state reaction was used to prepare crystalline tin-doped ZnO. → The obtained products were well-dispersed, which is attributed to the difference in sizes between Zn and Sn atoms and the change of pH value. → Gas response of sample S4 to ethanol vapor can reach 124. The same sample exhibit photocatalysis characteristics to methyl orange (MO) solution. - Abstract: A room temperature solid-state reaction has been used to prepare crystalline tin-doped ZnO. Zinc nitrate hexahydrate, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, stannic chloride pentahydrate and sodium hydroxide with proper ratios were ground together. As-synthesized samples were characterized by inductively coupled plasma analysis (ICP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD); The products were of different morphologies, well dispersed and exhibited good crystallinity, it is also found that the growth direction and morphology of ZnO depend on the amount of Sn doped, which is mainly caused by the difference in sizes between Zn and Sn atoms as well as the change of pH value. Moreover, gassensing and photocatalytic properties of the obtained products were studied. The materials showed a high gas response to ethanol vapor, and the gas response can reach a maximum of R a /R g = 124. In addition, tin-doped ZnO materials exhibited improved photocatalytic performance toward methyl orange (MO) solution under a current density of 0.03 mg L -1 comparison with undoped ZnO.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a gas species that plays an important role in certain industrial, farming, and healthcare sectors. However, there are still significant challenges for NO2 sensing at low detection limits, especially in the presence of other interfering gases. The NO2 selectivity of current gas-sensing technologies is significantly traded-off with their sensitivity and reversibility as well as fabrication and operating costs. In this work, we present an important progress for selective and reversible NO2 sensing by demonstrating an economical sensing platform based on the charge transfer between physisorbed NO2 gas molecules and two-dimensional (2D) tin disulfide (SnS2) flakes at low operating temperatures. The device shows high sensitivity and superior selectivity to NO2 at operating temperatures of less than 160 °C, which are well below those of chemisorptive and ion conductive NO2 sensors with much poorer selectivity. At the same time, excellent reversibility of the sensor is demonstrated, which has rarely been observed in other 2D material counterparts. Such impressive features originate from the planar morphology of 2D SnS2 as well as unique physical affinity and favorable electronic band positions of this material that facilitate the NO2 physisorption and charge transfer at parts per billion levels. The 2D SnS2-based sensor provides a real solution for low-cost and selective NO2 gassensing.

Full Text Available Preventing unexpected explosive attacks and tracing explosion-related molecules require the development of highly sensitive gas-vapor detection systems. For that purpose, a micromechanical cantilever-based olfactory sensing system including a sample preconcentrator was developed to detect 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT, which is a well-known by-product of the explosive molecule trinitrotoluene (TNT and exists in concentrations on the order of parts per billion in the atmosphere at room temperature. A peptide receptor (His-Pro-Asn-Phe-Ser-Lys-Tyr-Ile-Leu-His-Gln-Arg that has high binding affinity for 2,4-DNT was immobilized on the surface of the cantilever sensors to detect 2,4-DNT vapor for highly selective detection. A micro-preconcentrator (µPC was developed using Tenax-TA adsorbent to produce higher concentrations of 2,4-DNT molecules. The preconcentration was achieved via adsorption and thermal desorption phenomena occurring between target molecules and the adsorbent. The µPC directly integrated with a cantilever sensor and enhanced the sensitivity of the cantilever sensor as a pretreatment tool for the target vapor. The response was rapidly saturated within 5 min and sustained for more than 10 min when the concentrated vapor was introduced. By calculating preconcentration factor values, we verified that the cantilever sensor provides up to an eightfold improvement in sensingperformance.

In this paper, the investigation and detailed modeling of a cascaded Raman laser, operating in the midwave infrared region, is described. The device is based on silicon-on-insulator optical waveguides and a coupled resonant microcavity. Theoretical results are compared with recent experiments, demonstrating a very good agreement. Design criteria are derived for cascaded Raman lasers working as continuous wave light sources to simultaneously sense two types of gases, namely C2H6 and CO2, at a moderate power level of 130 mW. PMID:22408481

Monitoring and assessment of the health of a civil structural material are the critical requirements to ensure its safety and durability. In this work, a coating strategy on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was employed for the dispersion of CNTs in geopolymer matrix. The geopolymer nanocomposites prepared exhibited ultrahigh self-sensingperformance based on the unique behaviors of SiO 2 coating on CNTs in the geopolymer matrix. The SiO 2 layer on CNTs was partially or fully removed during the fabrication process to restore the conductive nature of CNTs, facilitating the dispersion of CNTs and forming well-connected 3D electrical conductive networks. The gauge factor (GF) of geopolymer nanocomposites reached up to 663.3 and 724.6, under compressive and flexural loading, respectively, with the addition of only 0.25 vol % of SiO 2 -coated CNTs (SiO 2 -CNTs). The values were at least twice higher than those recently reported self-sensing structural materials containing different types of carbon-based fillers. The underlying mechanisms on the electrical signal change with respect to ionic conduction and electronic conduction were explored and correlated to the self-sensingperformance. Additionally, the uniform dispersion of CNTs and good interaction between CNTs and geopolymer matrix contributed to the improvement in flexural and compressive strengths.

SnO2/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) composites were synthesized via a facile solid-state method by using SnCl4·5H2O and urea as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized composites were characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N2 sorption. The results indicated that the composites possessed a two-dimensional (2-D) structure, and the SnO2 nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of the g-C3N4 nanosheets. The gas-sensingperformance of the samples to ethanol was tested, and the SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite-based sensor exhibited admirable properties. The response value (Ra/Rg) of the SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite with 10 wt % 2-D g-C3N4 content-based sensor to 500 ppm of ethanol was 550 at 300 °C. However, the response value of pure SnO2 was only 320. The high surface area of SnO2/g-C3N4-10 (140 m2·g−1) and the interaction between 2-D g-C3N4 and SnO2 could strongly affect the gas-sensing property. PMID:28772960

Full Text Available SnO2/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4 composites were synthesized via a facile solid-state method by using SnCl4·5H2O and urea as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized composites were characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, and N2 sorption. The results indicated that the composites possessed a two-dimensional (2-D structure, and the SnO2 nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of the g-C3N4 nanosheets. The gas-sensingperformance of the samples to ethanol was tested, and the SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite-based sensor exhibited admirable properties. The response value (Ra/Rg of the SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite with 10 wt % 2-D g-C3N4 content-based sensor to 500 ppm of ethanol was 550 at 300 °C. However, the response value of pure SnO2 was only 320. The high surface area of SnO2/g-C3N4-10 (140 m2·g−1 and the interaction between 2-D g-C3N4 and SnO2 could strongly affect the gas-sensing property.

The Cs-loaded SnO2 thin films were prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, impedance spectroscopy and conductometric method. Investigations based on the structural, optical and electrical properties confirm an enhanced gassensing potential of cesium-loaded tin oxide films. It is found that the tin oxide thin film doped with 4% Cs with a mean grain size of 20 nm at a deposition temperature of 350 ° C show a maximum sensor response of 97.5% for LPG consistently. It is also observed that the sensor response of Cs-doped SnO2 thin films depends on the dopant concentration and the deposition temperature of the film.

Star-shaped PbS nanomaterials are synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Morphology and structure of the PbS nanomaterials are analyzed by SEM, HRTEM and XRD. Gas-sensing properties of the as-prepared PbS sensor are also systematically investigated. The results show star-shaped PbS nanostructure consists of four symmetric arms in the same plane and demonstrate good crystallinity. With the increase of ethanol concentration, the sensitivity of the PbS sensor significantly increases and demonstrates an almost linear relationship at the optimal operating temperature of 400 deg C. Moreover, the fast response-recovery towards ethanol is also observed, which indicates its great potential on ethanol detection. (author)

Star-shaped PbS nanomaterials are synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Morphology and structure of the PbS nanomaterials are analyzed by SEM, HRTEM and XRD. Gas-sensing properties of the as-prepared PbS sensor are also systematically investigated. The results show star-shaped PbS nanostructure consists of four symmetric arms in the same plane and demonstrate good crystallinity. With the increase of ethanol concentration, the sensitivity of the PbS sensor significantly increases and demonstrates an almost linear relationship at the optimal operating temperature of 400 deg C. Moreover, the fast response-recovery towards ethanol is also observed, which indicates its great potential on ethanol detection. (author)

TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesised by hydrothermal method. The degree of crystallinity and phase purity were confirmed from the Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction. By increasing the hydrothermal temperature, crystallinity and AC conductivity of the TiO2 nanoparticles increase. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements confirmed that the samples were mesoporous with an average pore diameter of 4.4-7.45 nm. Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles was evaluated and the sample hydrothermally treated at 160°C has the highest photocatalytic activity. In gassensing measurements, sensitivity increases as a function of concentration and the response to ethanol vapour was better compared to other gases for the sample synthesised at 160°C.

(∅1") were manufactured. The windows show high temperature resistant sub-wavelength anti-reflective surface microstructures on both side faces. Thus, a peak transmittance of 100% for a defined main wavelength (5 μm) and more than 90 % average transmittance for the wavelength range of 5-7 μm......Commercial infrared windows used for gassensing in the mid-IR range usually possess an anti-reflective coating. Those coatings can normally not withstand harsh environments, particularly not high temperatures. With a simple “3-step” fabrication process, high temperature resistant silicon windows...... was achieved. The modeling of the anti-reflective microstructures, their fabrication process and final transmittance analysis of the windows is discussed....

Full Text Available The main objective in oil production system using gas lift technique is to obtain the optimum gas injection rate which yields the maximum oil production rate. Relationship between gas injection rate and oil production rate is described by a continuous gas lift performance curve (GLPC. Obtaining the optimum gas injection rate is important because excessive gas injection will reduce production rate, and also increase the operation cost. In this paper, we discuss a mathematical model for gas lift technique and the characteristics of the GLPC for a production well, for which one phase (liquid is flowing in the reservoir, and two phases (liquid and gas in the tubing. It is shown that in certain physical condition the GLPC exists and is unique. Numerical computations indicate unimodal properties of the GLPC. It is also constructed here a numerical scheme based on genetic algorithm to compute the optimum oil production.

The objective of this research, was the synthesis of LaFeO3 and SnO2 fine powders for the subsequent preparation of thick film gas sensors. On producing fine metal oxide powders, often it is not possible to ensure separation of the particles during the synthesis, resulting in the formation of highly agglomerated material. In addition, there are often high synthetic costs associated with the powders obtained by these methods. Thermal decomposition and mechanochemical processing methods wer...

Full Text Available Polypyrrole (PPy in globular form and as nanotubes were prepared by the oxidation of pyrrole with iron(III chloride in the absence and presence of methyl orange, respectively. They were subsequently converted to nitrogen-containing carbons at 650 °C in an inert atmosphere. The course of carbonization was followed by thermogravimetric analysis and the accompanying changes in molecular structure by Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Both the original and carbonized materials have been tested in sensing of polar and non-polar organic vapors. The resistivity of sensing element using globular PPy was too high and only nanotubular PPy could be used. The sensitivity of the PPy nanotubes to ethanol vapors was nearly on the same level as that of their carbonized analogs (i.e., ~18% and 24%, respectively. Surprisingly, there was a high sensitivity of PPy nanotubes to the n-heptane vapors (~110%, while that of their carbonized analog remained at ~20%. The recovery process was significantly faster for carbonized PPy nanotubes (in order of seconds compared with 10 s of seconds for original nanotubes, respectively, due to higher specific surface area after carbonization.

Polypyrrole (PPy) in globular form and as nanotubes were prepared by the oxidation of pyrrole with iron(III) chloride in the absence and presence of methyl orange, respectively. They were subsequently converted to nitrogen-containing carbons at 650 °C in an inert atmosphere. The course of carbonization was followed by thermogravimetric analysis and the accompanying changes in molecular structure by Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Both the original and carbonized materials have been tested in sensing of polar and non-polar organic vapors. The resistivity of sensing element using globular PPy was too high and only nanotubular PPy could be used. The sensitivity of the PPy nanotubes to ethanol vapors was nearly on the same level as that of their carbonized analogs (i.e., ~18% and 24%, respectively). Surprisingly, there was a high sensitivity of PPy nanotubes to the n-heptane vapors (~110%), while that of their carbonized analog remained at ~20%. The recovery process was significantly faster for carbonized PPy nanotubes (in order of seconds) compared with 10 s of seconds for original nanotubes, respectively, due to higher specific surface area after carbonization. PMID:27854279

We describe an ultrasonic instrument for continuous real-time analysis of the fractional mixture of a binary gas system. The instrument is particularly well suited to measurement of leaks of a high molecular weight gas into a system that is nominally composed of a single gas. Sensitivity < 5 ×10−5 is demonstrated to leaks of octaflouropropane (C3F8) coolant into nitrogen during a long duration (18 month) continuous study. The sensitivity of the described measurement system is shown to depend on the difference in molecular masses of the two gases in the mixture. The impact of temperature and pressure variances on the accuracy of the measurement is analysed. Practical considerations for the implementation and deployment of long term, in situ ultrasonic leak detection systems are also described. Although development of the described systems was motivated by the requirements of an evaporative fluorocarbon cooling system, the instrument is applicable to the detection of leaks of many other gases and to proce...

Nanoparticles and nanoparticle-based materials are of considerable interest for their unique properties and their potential for use in a variety of applications. Metal nanoparticles, in which each particle’s surface is coated with a protective organic monolayer, are of particular interest because the surface monolayer stabilizes them relative to aggregation and they can be taken up into solutions.(1-4) As a result they can be processed into thin films for device applications. We will refer to these materials as monolayer-protected nanoparticles, or MPNs. Typically the metal is gold, the organic layer is a self-assembled thiol layer, and this composition will be assumed throughout the remainder of this chapter. A diversity of materials and properties is readily accessible by straightforward synthetic procedures, either by the structures of the monolayer-forming thiols used in the synthesis or by post-synthetic modifications of the monolayers. A particularly promising application for these materials is as selective layers on chemical vapor sensors. In this role, the thin film of MPNs on the device surface serves to collect and concentrate gas molecules at the sensor’s surface. Their sorptive properties also lend them to use as new nanostructured gas chromatographic stationary phases. This chapter will focus on the sorptive properties of MPNs as they relate to chemical sensors and gas chromatography.

This report was an integrated study of the physics and chemistry affecting gas injection, from the pore scale to the field scale, and involved theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments and numerical simulation. Specifically, advances were made on streamline-based simulation, analytical solutions to 1D compositional displacements, and modeling and experimental measures of three-phase flow.

The object of this study is a improvement of a gas target and targetry for increasing the radioisotope production yields. The main results are as follows 1. Improvement of beam entrance of the gas target : In this work, deep hole grid was designed for improvement of beam entrance. Using FEM(Finite Elements Method) analysis, it was verified that this design is more effective than the old one. 2. Improvement of target gas loading and withdrawing system : For the targetry, Helium gas and vacuum lines was installed for evaluating the production yields. Using these lines, it was proved that the recovery yields was improved and the residual impurity was reduced. 3. Improvement of target cooling efficiency : In case of the cylindrical target, it is more effective to use short length of target cavity for the high production yields. For improving the cooling efficiency, cooling fin was suggested to the target design. It is more effective to put the cooling fins inside the target cavity for the suppressed target pressure and density reduction effect during the proton beam irradiation. In conclusion, the target with fins inside the target cavity was better for high current irradiation and mass RI production.

Highlights: • A binary dopant based on β-cyclodextrin has been proposed for PANI. • The binary dopant provided long term stability to electrically conducting PANI. • The β-cyclodextrin based binary dopant rendered PANI sensitive towards CO at RT. - Abstract: The effect of hydrochloric acid/β-cyclodextrin (HCl/β-CD) binary dopant on the morphological, thermal, electrical, and sensing properties of PANI was investigated and compared with those of the conventionally doped PANI. The PANI samples were characterized using FTIR, UV–Vis, {sup 1}H NMR, and FESEM. Significant changes were observed in the structural, thermal, and electrical character of PANI doped with the HCl/β-CD binary dopant. A higher doping level was obtained for the PANI-binary dopant system, as observed from its {sup 1}H NMR spectra. Moreover, the binary dopant imparted long-term stability to the sensor in its conductive form. In addition, the PANI-binary dopant system exhibited a significantly high gas response towards carbon monoxide gas at room temperature.

Thin films of indium oxide were prepared on a silicon substrate by a spin-coating method using a coating solution dissolving In(OH)3, acetic acid and ammonium carboxymethyl cellulose. The films consisted of a dense stack of fairly uniform grains, adhering well to the substrate, as observed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The film thickness was well controlled by repeating the spin-coating. The sensing properties of the In2O3 film to CO, H2 and C3H8 depended on the film thickness and temperature, fairly good sensingperformance to CO being achieved with a 140-nm-thick film at 350°C. The contact between platinum electrode and In2O3 in these devices was found to be slightly non-Ohmic, unlike that in the sintered block type device.

Two important developments in gas contracting issues are the 'force majeure' provisions and security for performance clauses. 'Force majeure' was defined as any acts of God or any acts of omission by a transporter of gas, which is excused by any event not within the control of the party claiming suspension. 'Force majeure' provisions need to be specifically negotiated in every case. These issues often arise in gas contracting situations, but the nature of Canada's non-litigious oil and gas industry is such that we have had little or no Canadian case law to assist in interpreting what these clauses mean. The 'force majeure' clause is basically meant to protect the parties from events outside normal business risk. The security of performance issue arises when the obligation of a supplier of gas to perform, and the obligation of a buyer of gas to pay, is unsecured, as would be the case for example, if one of the parties becomes bankrupt

The nanocrystalline materials of strontium doped tin oxide powders were synthesized by conventional co-precipitation method. Synthesized nanophase SnO 2 powders were used to fabricate thick films of pure and Sr-doped SnO 2 using screen-printing technology and investigated for their gassensing properties towards LPG, ethanol, ammonia and acetone vapor. The crystal structure and phase of the sintered powders were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and microstructure by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All the doped and undoped SnO 2 compositions revealed single phase and solid solution formation. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results indicated that well crystallized Sr-doped SnO 2 particles of size about 10 nm were obtained at sintering temperature 700℃. The optical properties viz. UV-Vis, FTIR and Raman were used to characterize various physico-chemical properties of samples. The reduction of grain size in metal oxide is a key factor to enhance the gassensing properties. The doping of Sr in SnO 2 has reduced the grain size and improved the gas response. The results of gassensing measurements showed that the thick films deposited on alumina substrates using screen-printing technique exhibited high gas response, quick response time and fast recovery time to acetone gas at a working temperature of 250℃. Further, the selectivity of sensor towards acetone with respect to other reducing gases (LPG, ethanol, ammonia) was studied. (author)

The importance of the correct gas mixture for the Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) detector systems is fundamental for their correct and safe operation. A small change in the percentages of the gas mixture components can alter the RPC performance and this will rebound on the data quality in the ALICE, ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN. A constant monitoring of the gas mixture injected in the RPCs would avoid such kind of problems. A systematic study has been performed to understand RPC performances with several gas mixture compositions and in the presence of common gas impurities. The systematic analysis of several RPC performance parameters in different gas mixtures allows the rapid identification of any variation in the RPC gas mixture. A set-up for the online monitoring of the RPC gas mixture in the LHC gas systems is also proposed.

Thermal infrared (TIR) and ocean color remote sensing data (1.1 - 4.0 km) are being used as the primary data source in decision making systems for fisheries management, commercial and recreational fishing advisory services, fisheries research, environmental monitoring, oil and gas operations, and ship routing. Experience over the last 30 years suggests that while ocean color and other remote sensing data (e.g. altimetry) are important data sources, TIR presently yields the most useful data for studying ocean surface circulation synoptically on a daily basis. This is due primarily to the greater temporal resolution, but also due to one's better understanding of the dynamics of sea surface temperature compared with variations in ocean color and the spatial limitations of altimeter data. Information derived from commercial operations and research is being used to improve the operational efficiency of fishing vessels (e.g. reduce search time and increase catch rate) and to improve our understanding of the variations in catch distribution and rate needed to properly manage fisheries. This information is also being used by the oil and gas industry to minimize transit time and thus, save costs (e.g., tug charter, insurance), to increase production and revenue up to 500K dollars a day. The data are also be used to reduce the risk of equipment loss, loss of time and revenue to sudden and unexpected currents such as eddies. Sequential image analysis integrating TIR and ocean color provided near-real time, synoptic visualization of the rapid and wide dispersal of coastal waters from the northern Gulf of Mexico following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in September 2005. The satellite data and analysis techniques have also been used to monitor the effects and movement of other potential environmentally damaging substances, such as dispersing nutrient enriched waste water offshore. A review of our experience in several commercial applications and research efforts will reinforce the

ZnO nanoparticles (NP) with different morphologies such as nanorods (NR), isotropic NP, and cloud-like (CL) structures have been synthesized by an organometallic route. The prepared ZnO nanostructures have been deposited on miniaturized silicon gas sensor substrates by an inkjet method, and their responses to CO, C 3 H 8 , and NH 3 gases have been studied at different operating temperatures (340–500 °C) and relative humidity of 50 %. It is noteworthy that the morphology of the nanostructure of the sensitive layer is maintained after thermal treatment. The morphology of ZnO NP significantly influences the sensor response level and their selectivity properties to reducing gases. Among the three different ZnO types, sensors prepared with NR show the highest response to both CO and C 3 H 8 . Sensors made of isotropic NP and CL structures show a lower but similar response to CO. From all investigated nanostructures, sensors made of CL structures show the weakest response to C 3 H 8 . With NH 3 gas, no effect of the morphology of the ZnO sensitive layer has been evidenced. These different responses highlight the important role of the nanostructure of the ZnO sensitive layer and the nature of the target gas on the detection properties of the sensors. Graphical Abstract: Three different ZnO nanoparticles morphologies (cloud-like, dots, rods) have been employed as sensitive layers in chemoresistive sensors for the selective detection of CO, C 3 H 8 and NH 3

ZnO nanoparticles (NP) with different morphologies such as nanorods (NR), isotropic NP, and cloud-like (CL) structures have been synthesized by an organometallic route. The prepared ZnO nanostructures have been deposited on miniaturized silicon gas sensor substrates by an inkjet method, and their responses to CO, C{sub 3}H{sub 8}, and NH{sub 3} gases have been studied at different operating temperatures (340–500 °C) and relative humidity of 50 %. It is noteworthy that the morphology of the nanostructure of the sensitive layer is maintained after thermal treatment. The morphology of ZnO NP significantly influences the sensor response level and their selectivity properties to reducing gases. Among the three different ZnO types, sensors prepared with NR show the highest response to both CO and C{sub 3}H{sub 8}. Sensors made of isotropic NP and CL structures show a lower but similar response to CO. From all investigated nanostructures, sensors made of CL structures show the weakest response to C{sub 3}H{sub 8}. With NH{sub 3} gas, no effect of the morphology of the ZnO sensitive layer has been evidenced. These different responses highlight the important role of the nanostructure of the ZnO sensitive layer and the nature of the target gas on the detection properties of the sensors. Graphical Abstract: Three different ZnO nanoparticles morphologies (cloud-like, dots, rods) have been employed as sensitive layers in chemoresistive sensors for the selective detection of CO, C{sub 3}H{sub 8} and NH{sub 3}.

We extend the probability model for 3-layer radiative transfer [Opt. Express 20, 10004 (2012)] to ideal gas conditions where a correlation exists between transmission and temperature of each of the 3 layers. The effect on the probability density function for the at-sensor radiances is surprisingly small, and thus the added complexity of addressing the correlation can be avoided. The small overall effect is due to (a) small perturbations by the correlation on variance population parameters and (b) cancellation of perturbation terms that appear with opposite signs in the model moment expressions.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PEDOT:PSS/PVP) composite nanofibers were successfully fabricated via electrospinning and used as a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for detecting CO gas. The electrical property of individual PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers was characterized and the room temperature resistivity was at the magnitude of 105 Ω·m. The QCM sensor based on PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers was sensitive to low concentration (5–50 ppm) CO. In the ...

hierarchically in order to transmit the data to the entrance of the mine. Finally, the network configuration is done until the system enters in mode sleep (idle when it is not receiving information, in this way the consuming power decreased, increasing the autonomy of the batteries. This paper describes the design, implementation and operation of a gas monitoring system in mining with web service inreal-time based on a network of Zigbee sensors.

Cost effective multi-wavelength light sources are key enablers for wide-scale penetration of gas sensors at Mid-IR wavelength range. Utilizing novel Mid-IR Si-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) filter and wide-band Mid-IR Super Luminescent Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs), we show the concept of a light source that covers 2.5…3.5 μm wavelength range with a resolution of market impact is expected to be disruptive, since the devices currently in the market are either complicated, expensive and heavy instruments, or the applied measurement principles are inadequate in terms of stability and selectivity.

Full Text Available Recently, semiconducting metal oxide (SMO gas sensors have attracted the attention of researchers for high conductivity, labile features by environment, low cost, easy preparation, etc. However, traditional SMOs have some defects such as higher operating temperature and lower response value, which greatly limit their application in the field of gas sensor. In this work, the carbon nitride decorated ball-flower like Co3O4 composite was successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method, the composition and morphology of the as-synthesized samples were studied by the techniques of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR and N2-sorption. As a consequence, the pure Co3O4 and the carbon nitride decorated Co3O4 both possess ball-flower like structure, and the as-synthesized carbon nitride decorated Co3O4 composite exhibits significant sensing properties to ethanol which is 1.6 times higher than that of pure Co3O4, furthermore, the composite possesses high selectivity and stability towards ethanol detection.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based polymer nanocomposites offer a range of remarkable properties. Here, we demonstrate self-sensingperformance of low density polyethylene (LDPE)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites for the first time. The dispersion of the CNTs and the morphology of the nanocomposites was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The thermal properties were measured using thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry and were found to increase with increasing wt% of MWCNTs in LDPE matrix. An overall improvement in ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and Young’s modulus was found to be 59.6%, 48.5% and 129.3%, respectively for 5.0 wt% loading of MWCNTs. The electrical percolation threshold was observed at 1.0 wt% of MWCNTs and the highest electrical conductivity of 2.8 × 10-2 Scm-1 was observed at 5.0 wt% loading of MWCNTs. These piezo-resistive nanocomposites offer tunable self-sensing capabilities with gauge factors in the ranges of 17-52 and 42-530 in linear elastic (strain ˜3%) and inelastic regimes (strain ˜15%) respectively. Our demonstration would provide guidelines for the fabrication of low cost, self-sensing MWCNT-LDPE nanocomposites for potential use as civil water pipelines and landfill membranes.

Gas leak infrared imaging detection technology has become one of the most effective means to detect gas leaks. We propose a novel MRGC (minimum resolvable gas concentration) model that is suitable for evaluating the performance of passive GLIIDSs (gas leak infrared imaging detection systems). An MRGC equivalent calculation method and a direct MRGC measurement method based on the MRTD (minimum resolvable temperature difference) model are also proposed. The MRGC measurement system is designed and built. The measured and calculated results are in good agreement, which verifies the MRGC model's correctness and demonstrates the effectiveness of the MRGC performance evaluation method.

Damages to MSGCs (Micro-Strips Gas Chambers) induced by discharges have been investigated. Optimization of electrode shapes and/or deposition of a protective coating allows the potential difference between anode and cathode, thus increasing the gain. For prototypes of MSGCs made at the Centre de Recherches Nucleaires, each step of the manufacturing processes was carefully controlled. Results are presented on the influence of cleaning processes on the surface resistance of glass substrates. (author). 21 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS{sub 2}) is one of the most attractive two dimensional materials other than graphene, and the exceptional properties make it a promising candidate for bio/chemical sensing. Nevertheless, intrinsic properties and sensingperformances of MoS{sub 2} are easily masked by the presence of the Schottky barrier (SB) at source/drain electrodes, and its impact on MoS{sub 2} sensors remains unclear. Here, we systematically investigated the influence of the SB on MoS{sub 2} sensors, revealing the sensing mechanism of intrinsic MoS{sub 2}. By utilizing a small work function metal, Ti, to reduce the SB, excellent electrical properties of this 2D material were yielded with 2–3 times enhanced sensitivity. We experimentally demonstrated that the sensitivity of MoS{sub 2} is superior to that of graphene. Intrinsic MoS{sub 2} was able to realize rapid detection of arsenite down to 0.1 ppb without the influence of large SB, which is two-fold lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) tolerance level and better than the detection limit of recently reported arsenite sensors. Additionally, accurately discriminating target molecules is a great challenge for sensors based on 2D materials. This work demonstrates MoS{sub 2} sensors encapsulated with ionophore film which only allows certain types of molecules to selectively permeate through it. As a result, multiplex ion detection with superb selectivity was realized. Our results show prominent advantages of intrinsic MoS{sub 2} as a sensing material.

Full Text Available In this paper we report on how to increase the selectivity of gas sensors by using fluoropolymer membranes. The mass transport of polar and non-polar gases through a polymer membrane matrix was studied by systematic selection of polymers with different degrees of fluorination, as well as polymers whose monomers have ether groups (-O- in addition to fluorine groups (-F. For the study, a set of application-relevant gases including H2, CO, CO2, NO2, methane, ethanol, acetone, and acetaldehyde as well as various concentrations of relative humidity were used. These gases have different functional groups and polarities, yet have a similar kinetic diameter and are therefore typically difficult to separate. The concentrations of the gases were chosen according to international indicative limit values (TWA, STEL. To measure the concentration in the feed and permeate, we used tin-dioxide-based metal oxide gas sensors with palladium catalyst (SnO2:Pd, catalytic sensors (also SnO2:Pd-based and thermal conductivity sensors. This allows a close examination of the interdependence of diffusion and physicochemical operating principle of the sensor. Our goal is to increase the selectivity of gas sensors by using inexpensive fluoropolymer membranes. The measurements showed that through membranes with low polarity, preferably non-polar gases are transported. Furthermore, the degree of crystallization influences the permeability and selectivity of a polymer membrane. Basically the polar polymers showed a higher permeability to water vapor and polar substances than non-polar polymer membranes.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes allow detailed simulation of the flow of gases through fibrous filter media. When the pattern of gas flow between fibers has been established, simulated particles of any desired size can be “injected” into the entering gas stream, and their paths under the influence of aerodynamic drag, Brownian motion and electrostatic forces tracked. Particles either collide with a fiber, or pass through the entire filter medium. They may bounce off the fiber surface, or adhere firmly to the surface or to particles previously captured. Simulated injection of many particles at random locations in the entering stream allows the average probability of capture to be calculated. Many particle properties must be available as parameters for the equations defining the forces on particles in the gas stream, at the moment of contact with a fiber, and after contact. Accurate values for all properties are needed, not only for predicting particle capture in actual service, but also to validate models for media geometries and computational procedures used in CFD. We present a survey of existing literature on the properties influencing nanoparticle dynamics and adhesion. (paper)

Highlights: • We have demonstrated a facile method to prepare Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. • The gassensing properties of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} have been invested. • The results show potential application of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} NPs for CO sensors in environmental monitoring. - Abstract: Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared via a simple hydrothermal method for high performance CO gas sensor. The synthesized α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The SEM, TEM results revealed that obtained α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles had a peanut-like geometry with hemispherical ends. The response of the α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} NPs based sensor to carbon monoxide (CO) and various concentrations of other gases were measured at different temperatures. It found that the sensor based on the peanut-like α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} NPs exhibited high response, fast response–recovery, and good selectivity to CO at 300 °C. The experimental results clearly demonstrated the potential application of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} NPs as a good sensing material in the fabrication of CO sensor.

Full Text Available . In addition, the 1.0 M TiO2 sensing material annealed at 700 °C also revealed an excellent sensitivity and selectivity to CH(sub4) gas at room temperature compared to other gases (H(sub2), NH(sub3), and NO(sub2)), indicating that the TiO2 nanoparticles...

There are some types of faults that do not leave 'signatures' in the vibration spectrum of a gas turbine. These faults can only be detected by other analysis techniques. One of these techniques is the gas turbine performance analysis or gas path analysis which relates the efficiency, mass flow, temperature, pressure, fuel consumption and power to the gas turbine faults. In this paper the methodology used in the development of a thermodynamic model that simulates the design and off-design operation of a gas turbine with a free power turbine will be presented. The results obtained are used to predict the gas turbine performance in both design and off-design operation point, and also to simulate some types of faults. (author)

Full Text Available Dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA doped polyaniline (PANI-DBSA has been synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer in the presence of DBSA. The UV-visible spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the formation of PANI and its doping by DBSA. SEM images show the formation of submicron size rod shaped PANI particles. A vibrating capacitor based ammonia gas sensor was prepared by spin coating PANI-DBSA film over copper (Cu substrate. The sensor exploited Kelvin probe technique to monitor contact potential difference between PANI and Cu as a function of time and ammonia concentration. Upon exposure to 30 ppm ammonia, the sensor displays response time of 329 s, recovery time of 3600 s, and sensitivity value of 1.54 along with good repeatability.

A chemical sensor for gas phase measurements is reported which combines the principles of chemical separation and fiber optic detection. The analyzer incorporates an annular column Chromatographic sensor, constructed by inserting a polymer-clad optical fiber into a silica capillary. Light from a helium-neon laser is launched down the fiber, producing a steady intensity distribution within the fiber, but a low background of scattered light. When sample vapor is introduced to the sensor, and an analyte-rich volume interacts with the polymer cladding, Chromatographic retention is observed simultaneously with a change in the local refractive index of the cladding. An increase in cladding refractive index (RI) causes light to be coupled out of the fiber, with detection at a right-angle to the annular column length to provide optimum S/N ratio. This detection mechanism is called mode-filtered light detection. We report a gas Chromatographic separation on a 3.1 m annular column (320 microm i.d. silica tube, 228 microm o.d. fiber with a 12 microm fluorinated silicone clad) of methane, benzene, butanone and chlorobenzene in 6 min. The annular column length was reduced to 22 cm to function as a sensor, with selected organic vapors exhibiting unique retention times and detection selectivity. The detection selectivity is determined by the analyte RI and the partition coefficient into the cladding. The calculated limit of detection (LOD) for benzene vapor is 0.03% by volume in nitrogen, and several chlorinated species had LOD values less than 1%. For binary mixtures of organic vapors, the detected response appears to be the linear combination of the two organic standards, suggesting that the annular column may be useful as a general approach for designing chemical sensors that incorporate separation and optical detection principles simultaneously.

Cadmium oxide (CdO) thin films have been deposited onto glass substrates using different molar concentrations (0.2 M, 0.5 M and 0.8 M) of cadmium acetate precursor solutions using a sol-gel spin coating technique. The structural, morphological, optical and electrical results are presented. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the CdO films of different molarity have a stable cubic structure with a (111) preferred orientation at low molar concentration. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the films adopted a rectangular to cauliflower like morphology. The optical transmittance of the thin films was observed in the range 200-800 nm and it was found that the 0.2 M CdO thin films showed about 83% transmission in the visible region. The optical band gap energy of the thin films was found to vary from 2.10 to 3.30 eV with the increase in molar concentration of the solution. The electrical resistance of the 0.5 M thin film was found to be 1.56 kΩ. The oxygen sensing response was observed between 20-33% in the low temperature range (32-200 °C).

Full Text Available The current/voltage characteristics of mixed (ion+electron conductor-based Ã¢Â€Â˜TEMPOSÃ¢Â€Â™ (Tunable Electronic Material with Pores in Oxide on Silicon structures are reported. TEMPOS are novel electronic MOS-like structures having etched swift heavy ion tracks (i.e., nanopores in the dielectric layer filled with some conducting material. The three contacts (two on top and one on the bottom, which resemble the classical bipolar or field effect transistor arrangements are, in principle, interchangeable when the overall electrical resistance along the tracks and on the surface are similar. Consequently, three configurations are obtained by interchanging the top contacts with the base contact in electronic circuits. The current/voltage characteristics show a diode like behaviour. Impedance measurements have been made for TEMPOS structures with tracks filled with ion conductors and also mixed conductors to study the ammonia sensing behaviour. The impedance has been found to be a function of frequency and magnitude of the applied signal and concentration of the ammonia solution. This is attributed to the large number of charge carriers (here protons available for conduction on exposure to ammonia and also to the large surface to volume ratio of the polymer composites embedded in the ion tracks. The measurement of both, the real and imaginary parts of impedance allows one to enhance the detection sensitivity greatly.

The current/voltage characteristics of mixed (ion+electron) conductor-based 'TEMPOS' (Tunable Electronic Material with Pores in Oxide on Silicon) structures are reported. TEMPOS are novel electronic MOS-like structures having etched swift heavy ion tracks (i.e., nanopores) in the dielectric layer filled with some conducting material. The three contacts (two on top and one on the bottom), which resemble the classical bipolar or field effect transistor arrangements are, in principle, interchangeable when the overall electrical resistance along the tracks and on the surface are similar. Consequently, three configurations are obtained by interchanging the top contacts with the base contact in electronic circuits. The current/voltage characteristics show a diode like behaviour. Impedance measurements have been made for TEMPOS structures with tracks filled with ion conductors and also mixed conductors to study the ammonia sensing behaviour. The impedance has been found to be a function of frequency and magnitude of the applied signal and concentration of the ammonia solution. This is attributed to the large number of charge carriers (here protons) available for conduction on exposure to ammonia and also to the large surface to volume ratio of the polymer composites embedded in the ion tracks. The measurement of both, the real and imaginary parts of impedance allows one to enhance the detection sensitivity greatly.

are better suited for sensor applications. The commercially used porous poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) membrane was investigated and modified to improve performance of this material. As PVC does not contain any natural hydroscopic properties, the addition of various hydrophilic groups to the PVC would aid in water management. It was found that while chemical modification could improve water retention, optimization of the modifications would be required to ensure flooding was not an issue. Composites of PVC and sulfonated silica showed performance that matched that of the commercial PVC, whilst using significantly less water to achieve those results. By reducing the water required for sensing, leaching of acid, as well as flooding could be reduced. Finally, the catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer (GDL) were investigated to understand what properties of these would impart the best performance increases for the sensor. For the catalyst layer, it was found that platinum black and 20% platinum supported on carbon achieved similar results. Platinum black has excellent catalytic activity for the ethanol oxidation reaction, while the surface area of the 20% platinum supported on carbon would allow for more ethanol to react, increasing the overall sensor capability. The choice of catalyst was less of an issue than the choice of GDL. It was found that using carbon fiber paper GDLs lead to greater retention of water in the MEA compared to carbon cloth GDLs due to the lower air permeability. This came at a cost however in that with a lower air permeability, less ethanol vapour would reach the catalytic sites, reducing sensingperformance. Depending on the choice of membrane, removal of the GDL could impart performance increases, but could also cause detrimental failure in the case of Nafion based systems.

Subcontractor report details work done by TIAX and Westport to test and perform cost analysis for catalytic glow plugs and shields for direct-injection natural gas engines for the Next Generation Natural Gas Vehicle Program.

Tensile creep tests were carried out on a Norton NT164 silicon nitride ceramic turbine blade containing 4 wt. % Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} sintering additive at 1,370 C in air under selected stress levels. The objective of this study was to measure the creep properties of test specimens extracted from a complex shaped ceramic gas turbine blade to verify the response of actual components. The creep results indicated that specimens from both the airfoil and dovetail sections exhibited creep rates that were about 4 to 100 times higher than those obtained from both the buttonhead and dogbone creep specimens machined from the developmental billets fabricated with the same composition and processing procedures. Electron microscopy analyses suggested that high creep rates and short lifetimes observed in specimens extracted from the turbine blade resulted from a higher glassy phase(s) content and smaller number density of elongated grain microstructure. Silicon nitride ceramics with an in-situ reinforced elongated microstructure have been the primary candidates for both advanced automotive and land-based gas turbine engine applications.

In orthogonal frequency division modulation (OFDM) communication systems, channel state information (CSI) is required at receiver due to the fact that frequency-selective fading channel leads to disgusting intersymbol interference (ISI) over data transmission. Broadband channel model is often described by very few dominant channel taps and they can be probed by compressive sensing based sparse channel estimation (SCE) methods, for example, orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm, which can take the advantage of sparse structure effectively in the channel as for prior information. However, these developed methods are vulnerable to both noise interference and column coherence of training signal matrix. In other words, the primary objective of these conventional methods is to catch the dominant channel taps without a report of posterior channel uncertainty. To improve the estimation performance, we proposed a compressive sensing based Bayesian sparse channel estimation (BSCE) method which cannot only exploit the channel sparsity but also mitigate the unexpected channel uncertainty without scarifying any computational complexity. The proposed method can reveal potential ambiguity among multiple channel estimators that are ambiguous due to observation noise or correlation interference among columns in the training matrix. Computer simulations show that proposed method can improve the estimation performance when comparing with conventional SCE methods. PMID:24983012

Integration of optically active materials into whispering gallery mode (WGM) cavities enables low-threshold laser emission. In contrast to their passive counterparts, the WGMs of these microlasers can be pumped and read out easily via free-space optics. The WGMs interact with the cavity environment via their evanescent field, and thus lend themselves to label-free bio-sensing. The detection limit of such sensors, given as the ratio of the resolution of the whole measurement system to the sensitivity of the WGMs, is an important figure of merit. In this work we show that the detection limit of polymeric microdisk lasers can be improved by more than a factor of seven by optimizing their radius and thickness. We use the bulk refractive index sensitivity, the magnitude of the sensor reaction towards refractive index changes of the bulk environment, to quantify the sensingperformance and show that it can be enhanced while the spectral resolution is maintained. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of the size of the cavity on the quality factor and the lasing threshold in an aqueous environment, hence allowing optimization of the cavity size for enhanced sensor performance. For all considered quantities, numerically computed expectations are verified by experimental results.

Barium titanate (BaTiO{sub 3}) thick films were prepared from commercial powder to develop and optimize the film elaboration. Then, BaTiO{sub 3} was doped by strontium and iron to increase the conductivity by a double substitution on site A and B of the perovskite structure in view to develop semiconductor gas sensors. Film inks were prepared by mixing BT and BSTF powder with an organic vehicle, using a ratio of 50:50; 60:40, respectively and deposited on alumina substrates. The BT and BSTF films were sintered at 1100°C for 2h. The structural and physical properties of the films have been studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The dielectric measurements showed a huge increase in the a.c. conductivity for the BSTF films, by a factor of 10000 at low frequency, when the temperature ranges from 25°C to 500°C.

A real-time monitoring system is developed for detecting abnormal conditions in robotic gas metal arc welding. The butt-joint test pieces with simulated large gaps are used to intentionally introduce step disturbance of welding conditions. During the welding process, the welding voltage and current signals are sampled and processed on-line to extract the characteristic information reflecting the process quality. After the first statistical processing, it is found that seven statistical parameters (the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variance and kurtosis of welding voltage; the mean, coefficient of variance and kurtosis of welding current) show variations during the step disturbance. Through the second statistical processing of the means of the welding voltage for subgroups of continuous measurement, the statistical control chart is obtained, and an SPC (statistical process control)-based on-line identifying method is developed. Ten robotic welding experiments are conducted to verify the real-time monitoring system. It is found that the correct identification rates for normal and abnormal welding conditions are 100% and 95%, respectively.

In this paper, we report the benefits of working with photonic molecules in macroporous silicon photonic crystals. In particular, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the optical properties of a resonant peak produced by a single photonic atom of 2.6 µm wide can be sequentially improved if a second and a third cavity of the same length are introduced in the structure. As a consequence of that, the base of the peak is reduced from 500 nm to 100 nm, while its amplitude remains constant, increasing its Q-factor from its initial value of 25 up to 175. In addition, the bandgap is enlarged almost twice and the noise within it is mostly eliminated. In this study we also provide a way of reducing the amplitude of one or two peaks, depending whether we are in the two- or three-cavity case, by modifying the length of the involved photonic molecules so that the remainder can be used to measure gas by spectroscopic methods.

Full Text Available The unsubstituted copper phthalocyanine (CuPc single crystal nano columns were fabricated for the first time as chlorine (Cl2 gas sensors in this paper. The nano columns of CuPc have been prepared on different substrates via template-free physical vapor deposition (PVD approach. The growth mechanism of CuPc nano column on quartz was explored and the same condition used on other substrates including glass, sapphire (C-plane, M-plane, R-plane, Si and SiO2/Si came to a same conclusion, which confirmed that the aligned growth of CuPc nano column is not substrate-dependent. And then the CuPc nano column with special morphology was integrated as in-situ sensor device which exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity towards Cl2 at room temperature with a minimum detection limit as low as 0.08 ppm. The response of sensor was found to increase linearly (26∼659% with the increase for Cl2 within concentration range (0.08∼4.0ppm. These results clearly demonstrate the great potential of the nano column growth and device integration approach for sensor device.

Highlights: • Ethanol adsorbed on V 2 O 5 (010) surface was investigated by ab initio calculations. • Ethanol prefers to adsorb on “Hill”-like surface, rather than“Valley”-like region. • Surface O 1(H) site plays a key role to dominate the ethanol adsorption process. • Sensing mechanism is related with electronic structure and electron redistribution. • Gas sensitivity is reflected by quantitative electron population analysis. - Abstract: The adsorption of ethanol on V 2 O 5 (010) surface was investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) with a combined generalized gradient approximation (GGA) plus Hubbard U approach to exploit the potential sensing applications. The adsorption configurations were first constructed by considering different orientations of ethanol molecule to V and O sites on the “Hill”- and “Valley”-like regions of corrugated (010) surface. It is found that ethanol molecule can adsorb on whole surface in multiple stable configurations. Nevertheless the molecular adsorption on the “Hill”-like surface is calculated to occur preferentially, and the single coordinated oxygen on “Hill”-like surface (O 1(H) ) acting as the most energetically favorable adsorption site shows the strongest adsorption ability to ethanol molecule. Surface adsorption of ethanol tunes the electronic structure of V 2 O 5 and cause an n-doping effect. As a consequence, the Fermi levels shift toward the conductive bond increasing the charge carrier concentration of electrons in adsorbed V 2 O 5 . The sensitive electronic structure and the multiple stable configurations to ethanol adsorption highlight the high adsorption activity and then the potential of V 2 O 5 (010) surface applied to high sensitive sensor for ethanol vapor detection. Further Mulliken population and Natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations quantify the electron transfer from the adsorbed ethanol to the surface, and correlates the adsorption ability of surface sites

High-Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) built by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has reciprocating compressor commonly used to extract and discharge helium gas into primary/secondary coolant helium loop from helium purification system. Piston rod seal of the compressor consist of several components to prevent coolant leak. However, rod seal system has weak reliability during long term operation due to repeated leakage of seal oil in operation. As a result of investigations, leakage's root is found in that seal were used in a range beyond limit sliding properties of seal material. For this reason, a lip of the seal was worn and transformed itself and was not able to sustain a seal function. Therefore, through tests using facility actual equipment for endurance of candidate materials, one seal material were chosen for long term operation. (author)

The reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions is required to minimize the effect of hydrocarbon based power generation on global warming. In pursue of this objective, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is dedicating considerable efforts on two different ways to reduce the environmental impact. The first one involves gas turbine performance improvement by raising firing temperature for Natural-gas and LNG applications. In this regard, the latest J class gas turbine was designed to operate at 1600 deg C and expected combined cycle efficiency in excess of 60%. The other approach involves the use of Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants to burn solid fuel like coal.

Transition metals play an important role in many biological processes, however, they are also toxic at high concentrations. Therefore, the uptake and efflux of these metals must be tightly regulated by the cell. Bacteria have evolved a variety of pathways and regulatory systems to monitor the presence and concentration of metals in the cellular environment. A key component of those systems are transcription factors that either "sense metals" or use "metal sensors". The first class of these proteins have metals as their allosteric effector ligand. The second class of these proteins utilize transition metal containing cofactors to sense other environmental cues through the specific chemistry afforded by the cofactor. Chapter 1 reviews the current literature regarding both types of transcription factors. The focus of this work has been on two heme-containing, gas-sensing transcription factors found in bacteria, RcoM (regulator of CO metabolism) and DNR (dissimilative nitrate respiration regulator). RcoM is a CO-dependent protein found in Burkholderia xenovorans and sits upstream of the cox operon for oxidative CO metabolism. RcoM senses the presence of CO, as well as changes in redox potential, through a ligand switch process at its heme cofactor. Chapter 2 details spectroscopic characterization of several methionine mutants to identify the Fe(II) ligand trans to His 74. That study concludes that Met104 acts as the CO-replacable ligand. Met105, while not the ligand, does play an important role in reversibility of the ligand switch process. RcoM has a unique tertiary structure that combines a sensory domain and a DNA-binding domain normally found in two-component systems. Chapter 3 provides evidence that RcoM adopts a dimeric state. Further biophysical and structural characterization gives further insight into how the two domains are organized and the implications for the DNA-binding mechanism. DNR is a NO-sensing transcription factor from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and

The synthesis of metallophthalocyanines (M = Co, Cu, Mn) bearing four ethyl 7-oxy-4,8-dimethylcoumarin-3-propanoate moieties was performed. These novel compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, 1H-NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR, UV-vis and mass spectral data. DC and AC electrical properties of the films of metallophthalocyanines were investigated in the temperature range of 295-523 K. AC measurements were performed in the frequency range of 40-105 Hz. Activation energy values of the films took place between 0.55 eV-0.93 eV. Impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed that bulk resistance decreases with increasing temperature, indicating semiconductor properties. DC conductivity results also supported this result. Their gassensing properties were also investigated for the vapors of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), n-butyl acetate (200-3200 ppm) and ammonia (7000-56000 ppm) between temperatures 25-100°C. Sensitivity and response times of the films for the tested vapors were reported. The results were found to be reversible and sensitive to the vapors of n-butyl acetate and ammonia. It was found that Mn(OAc)Pc showed better sensitivity than CoPc and CuPc for n-butyl acetate vapors at all measured vapor concentrations and temperatures. Mn(OAc)Pc also showed better sensitivity than CoPc and CuPc for ammonia vapors at 22°C. Co(II), Cu(II), Mn(III)OAc phthalocyanines bearing four ethyl 7-oxy-4,8-dimethyl-coumarin-3-propanoate moieties were prepared and characterized. DC and AC (40-105 Hz) electrical properties of the films of metallophthalocyanines were investigated in the temperature range of 295-523 K. Impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed that bulk resistance decreases with increasing temperature indicating semiconductor property. Their gassensing properties were also investigated for the vapors of VOCs, n-butyl acetate (200-3200 ppm) and ammonia (7000-56000 ppm) between temperatures 25-100°C.

Full Text Available A design of high performance green-mode pulse-width-modulation (PWM controller IC with smart sensing protection circuits for the application of lithium-ion battery charger (1.52 V ~ 7.5 V is investigated in this paper. The protection circuits architecture of this system mainly bases on the lithium battery function and does for the system design standard of control circuit. In this work, the PWM controller will be with an automatic load sensing and judges the system operated in the operating mode or in the standby mode. Therefore, it reduces system’s power dissipation effectively and achieves the saving power target. In the same time, many protection sensing circuits such as: (1 over current protection (OCP and under current protection (UCP, (2 over voltage protection (OVP and under voltage protection (UVP, (3 loading determintion and short circuit protection (SCP, (4 over temperature protection (OTP, (5 VDD surge-spiking protection are included. Then, it has the characteristics of an effective monitoring the output loading and the harm prevention as a battery charging. Eventually, this green-mode pulse-width-modulation (PWM controller IC will be that the operation voltage is 3.3 V, the operation frequency is 0.98 MHz, and the output current range is from 454 mA to 500 mA. Meanwhile, the output convert efficiency is range from 74.8 % to 91 %, the power dissipation efficiency in green-mode is 25 %, and the operation temperature range is between -20 0C ~ 114 0C.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In this proposed SBIR project, we seek to implement the Adaptive Chemistry methodology in existing CFD codes used to investigate the emissions performance of gas...

Full Text Available Producer gas from biomass gasification is expected to contribute to greater energy mix in the future. Therefore, effect of producer gas on engine performance is of great interest. Evaluation of engine performances can be hard and costly. Ideally, they may be predicted mathematically. This work was to apply mathematical models in evaluating performance of a small producer gas engine. The engine was a spark ignition, single cylinder unit with a CR of 14:1. Simulation was carried out on full load and varying engine speeds. From simulated results, it was found that the simple mathematical model can predict the performance of the gas engine and gave good agreement with experimental results. The differences were within ±7%.

As a part of the passive containment cooling system (PCCS) of Innovative PWR development project, we have been investigating the effect of the nitrogen gas released from safety injection tank (SIT) on PCCS performance. With the design characteristics of APR1400 and conceptual design of PCCS, we developed a GOTHIC model of the APR1400 containment with PCCS. The calculation model is described herein, and representative results from the calculation are presented as well. The results of the present work will be used for the design of PCCS. APR1400 GOTHIC model was developed for assessment on the effect of SIT nitrogen gas on passive containment cooling system performance. Calculation results confirmed that influence of nitrogen gas release is negligible; however, further studies should be performed to confirm effect of non-condensable gas on the final performance of PCCS. These insights are important for developing the PCCS of Innovative PWR

As a part of the passive containment cooling system (PCCS) of Innovative PWR development project, we have been investigating the effect of the nitrogen gas released from safety injection tank (SIT) on PCCS performance. With the design characteristics of APR1400 and conceptual design of PCCS, we developed a GOTHIC model of the APR1400 containment with PCCS. The calculation model is described herein, and representative results from the calculation are presented as well. The results of the present work will be used for the design of PCCS. APR1400 GOTHIC model was developed for assessment on the effect of SIT nitrogen gas on passive containment cooling system performance. Calculation results confirmed that influence of nitrogen gas release is negligible; however, further studies should be performed to confirm effect of non-condensable gas on the final performance of PCCS. These insights are important for developing the PCCS of Innovative PWR.

International audience; Health data from the gas chromatography (GC) module onboard the SAM instrument [1] will be presented to assess the analytical performances evolution of a GC device in Martian environment through 3 years.

Highlights: • Comparison of natural gas and hydrogen fuels for energy conservation in buildings. • Comparison between hydrogen and natural gas fuel cell is performed. • Simulations of building energy supply. • Performance evaluation of two potential gas-power supply scenarios in buildings. • Natural gas fuel cell showed better performance over hydrogen fuel cell. - Abstract: The work provided herein involves a comparison of natural gas and hydrogen fuels for the purpose of energy conservation for buildings via alternative energy generation methodologies. A case study simulation was developed for an average type of commercial building, a nine storey hotel located in Toronto. The two alternative energy source case studies involved the generation of hydrogen via the wind turbine for the fuel cell, and the use of natural gas directly in the steam reforming fuel cell. The simulations for both scenarios were run and the recorded results were compared to the original case study, as well as between the scenarios. To supply for the base load of the building the fuel cells were given the same kW rating for both scenarios. The identification of all existing technologies for hydrogen gas and natural gas has been carried out, and the similar technologies between the two gases were found. For the purpose of realism, only existing purchasable technologies were considered in this paper. Due to the lack of commercially available technologies for hydrogen gas, only a comparison of fuel cell systems could be accomplished. Over the course of the investigative work it was found that when there is no direct supply of hydrogen to the site of utilization, the natural gas fuel cell is beneficial to the building due to its greater efficiency and lower cost. The major drawback for the hydrogen gas fuel cell, when the on-site generation is involved, is that no thermal power extraction systems currently exist for purchase and utilization in the buildings

The association between childhood school desegregation and later life sense of control and physical performance among African Americans is not clear. We hypothesized that childhood school desegregation adversely affected the sense of control of in later life, and that this reduced sense of control accounts in part for reduced physical performance. In-home follow-up assessments were completed in 2010 with 582 of the 58-74 year old men and women participating in the on-going African American Health cohort. We used these data to examine the relationship between (a) retrospective self-reports of attending segregated schools during one's 1st-to-12th grade education and one's current sense of control, as well as (b) the association between current sense of control and physical performance. Multiple linear regression analysis with propensity score re-weighting was used. Attending segregated schools for at least half of one's 1st-to-12th grade education was significantly associated with higher scores on the sense of control. Adjusting for all covariates and potential confounders, those receiving half or more of their 1st-to-12th grade education in segregated schools had sense of control scores that were .886 points higher (p ≤ .01; standardized effect size = .22). Sense of control scores were independently (all p school segregation and physical performance. Childhood school desegregation was adversely associated with the sense of control of African Americans in later life, and this reduced sense of control appears, in part, to account for their poorer physical performance. The etiologic mechanism through which childhood school segregation at the time that this cohort experienced it improved the sense of control in later life, which subsequently led to better physical performance, has not been identified. We suspect, however, that the pathway involves greater exposure to racial solidarity, same-race students as peer role models and same-race teachers and

Full Text Available Compressive sensing has become an accepted and powerful alternative to conventional data sampling schemes. Hardware simplicity, data, and measurement time reduction and simplified imagery are some of its most attractive strengths. This work aims at exploring the possibilities of using sparse vector recovery theory for actual engineering and defense- and security-oriented applications. Conventional through-the-wall imaging using a synthetic aperture configuration can also take advantage of compressive sensing by reducing data acquisition rates and omitting certain azimuth scanning positions. An ultra-wideband stepped frequency system carrying wide beam antennas performs through-the-wall imaging of a real scene, including a hollow concrete block wall and a corner reflector behind it. Random downsampling rates lower than those announced by Nyquist’s theorem both in the fast-time and azimuth domains are studied, as well as downsampling limitations for accurate imaging. Separate dictionaries are considered and modeled depending on the objects to be reconstructed: walls or point targets. Results show that an easy interpretation of through-the-wall scenes using the -norm and orthogonal matching pursuit algorithms is possible thanks to the simplification of the reconstructed scene, for which only as low as 25% of the conventional SAR data are needed.

Future wireless communications are heading towards an all-Internet Protocol (all-IP) design, and will rely on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to manage services, such as voice over IP (VoIP). The centralized architecture of traditional SIP has numerous disadvantages for mobile ad hoc services that may be possibly overcome by advanced peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies initially developed for the Internet. In the context of mobile sensing, P2PSIP protocols facilitate decentralized and fast communications with sensor-enabled terminals. Nevertheless, in order to make P2PSIP protocols feasible in mobile sensing networks, it is necessary to minimize overhead transmissions for signaling purposes, which reduces the battery lifetime. In this paper, we present a solution to improve the management of wireless overlay networks by defining an adaptive algorithm for the calculation of refresh time. The main advantage of the proposed algorithm is that it takes into account new parameters, such as the delay between nodes, and provides satisfactory performance and reliability levels at a much lower management overhead than previous approaches. The proposed solution can be applied to many structured P2P overlays or P2PSIP protocols. We evaluate it with Kademlia-based distributed hash tables (DHT) and dSIP PMID:24217358

A numerical model is developed in order to find out the performance characteristics of gas foil bearings. The static performance analysis of gas foil bearings has been carried out using an elastic foundation model of the foil. The steady state results have been compared with the experimental and theoretical results available in the literature. The characteristics of the bearing have been investigated with change in foil pivot position. It has been shown that the load carrying capacity is diff...

to visualize how operations and maintenance performance makes good business sense, and more balanced information and knowledge requirements to support decisions settings. The thesis emphasizes that despite there is a popular demand on this issue, subject matter has not fully been explored within the oil and gas business environment, and even the few of more recent contributions have not adequately addressed the issue. The underlying challenges in this regard are attributed in this thesis to socio-technical complexity and causal ambiguity of operations and maintenance performance within organizational settings. And it furthermore emphasizes that the degree of such complexity and ambiguity are defined by the extent of information and knowledge asymmetries on performance. To address the issue of technical alienation of operations and maintenance performance in oil and gas business terms, the thesis attempt to generate a link between oil and gas business, oil and gas production assets, and operations and maintenance performance. The underlying assertion is that, oil and gas production portfolio of any organization bears a specific role-play in respect of what matters for commercial success of the business, and that role-play in turn is the basis to redefine the mission for operations and maintenance. And also, this mission remains the point of departure for systematic development of operations and maintenance performance architecture. The theoretical architecture that is brought into perspective in this thesis, addresses both the socio-technical complexity by dimensioning operations and maintenance performance into its constituent components, and causal ambiguity simultaneously by incorporating a logic to this dimensioning process. Equally importantly, during this effort, it also pays attention to institute relevance, completeness, and flexibility of the architecture as necessary. Moving further, the thesis elaborates on how this theoretical architecture can be extended

Separation and sequestration of CO2 emitted from fossil energy fueled electric generating units and industrial facilities will help in reducing anthropogenic CO2, thereby mitigating its adverse climate change effects. Membrane-based gas separation has the potential to meet the technical challenges of CO2 separation if high selectivity and permeance with low costs for large-scale manufacture are realized. Inorganic zeolite membranes in principle can have selectivity and permeance considerably higher than polymers. This paper presents a strategy for zeolite growth within the pores of a polymer support, with crystallization time of an hour. With a thin coating of 200-300 nm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on the zeolite-polymer composite, transport data for CO2/N2 separation indicate separation factors of 35-45, with CO2 permeance between 1600 and 2200 GPU (1 GPU = 3.35 × 10(-10) mol/(m(2) s Pa)) using dry synthetic mixtures of CO2 and N2 at 25 °C. The synthesis process results in membranes that are highly reproducible toward transport measurements and exhibit long-term stability (3 days). Most importantly, these membranes because of the zeolite growth within the polymer support, as contrasted to conventional zeolite growth on top of a support, are mechanically flexible.

A need exists to safely integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the United States' National Airspace System. Replacing manned aircraft's see-and-avoid capability in the absence of an onboard pilot is one of the key challenges associated with safe integration. Sense-and-avoid (SAA) systems will have to achieve yet-to-be-determined required separation distances for a wide range of encounters. They will also need to account for the maneuver performance of the UAS they are paired with. The work described in this paper is aimed at developing an understanding of the trade space between UAS maneuver performance and SAA system performance requirements, focusing on a descent avoidance maneuver. An assessment of current manned and unmanned aircraft performance was used to establish potential UAS performance test matrix bounds. Then, near-term UAS integration work was used to narrow down the scope. A simulator was developed with sufficient fidelity to assess SAA system performance requirements. The simulator generates closest-point-of-approach (CPA) data from the wide range of UAS performance models maneuvering against a single intruder with various encounter geometries. Initial attempts to model the results made it clear that developing maneuver performance groups is required. Discussion of the performance groups developed and how to know in which group an aircraft belongs for a given flight condition and encounter is included. The groups are airplane, flight condition, and encounter specific, rather than airplane-only specific. Results and methodology for developing UAS maneuver performance requirements are presented for a descent avoidance maneuver. Results for the descent maneuver indicate that a minimum specific excess power magnitude can assure a minimum CPA for a given time-to-go prediction. However, smaller amounts of specific excess power may achieve or exceed the same CPA if the UAS has sufficient speed to trade for altitude. The results of this study will

Highlights: • We have demonstrated a facile method to prepare colloid Au nanorods. • The size and shape of Au nanorods can be controlled via seed-mediated growth method. • The H 2 S gas-sensing properties have been investigated. • The antibacterial application has been conducted. - Abstract: Controlling their size and shape is one of the important issues in the fundamental study and application of colloidal metal nanoparticles. In the current study, different sizes and shapes of Au nanorods were fabricated using a seed-mediated growth method. Material characterization by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the obtained products were made of single-crystal Au nanorods with an average diameter and length of 10 nm and 40 nm, respectively. The Au nanorod-based sensor exhibited significantly high sensitivity and fast response/recovery time to low concentrations (2.5–10 ppm) of H 2 S at temperatures ranging from 300 °C to 400 °C. Additionally, they exhibited antibacterial effect at low concentration. These results suggested that the fabricated Au nanorods have excellent potential for practical application in air pollution monitoring and biomedicine

Highlights: • We have demonstrated a facile method to prepare colloid Au nanorods. • The size and shape of Au nanorods can be controlled via seed-mediated growth method. • The H{sub 2}S gas-sensing properties have been investigated. • The antibacterial application has been conducted. - Abstract: Controlling their size and shape is one of the important issues in the fundamental study and application of colloidal metal nanoparticles. In the current study, different sizes and shapes of Au nanorods were fabricated using a seed-mediated growth method. Material characterization by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the obtained products were made of single-crystal Au nanorods with an average diameter and length of 10 nm and 40 nm, respectively. The Au nanorod-based sensor exhibited significantly high sensitivity and fast response/recovery time to low concentrations (2.5–10 ppm) of H{sub 2}S at temperatures ranging from 300 °C to 400 °C. Additionally, they exhibited antibacterial effect at low concentration. These results suggested that the fabricated Au nanorods have excellent potential for practical application in air pollution monitoring and biomedicine.

The RPC muon system of experiment CMS at the LHC (CERN, Geneva Switzerland) is equipped with a Gas Gain Monitoring (GGM) system. The GGM is composed of twelve square single-gap RPC chambers in a cosmic ray hodoscope. Each chambers working point is continuously monitored to detect changes among fresh, before purifiers, after purifiers gas mixtures. The GGM has been in operation for the whole duration of 2011-2012 data taking period. Weekly efficiency scans were performed and gas problems were detected. A report of both performance and experience gained is given.

This study examined the electrical and self-sensing capacities of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) with and without carbon nanotubes (CNTs). For this, the effects of steel fiber content, orientation, and pore water content on the electrical and piezoresistive properties of UHPFRC without CNTs were first evaluated. Then, the effect of CNT content on the self-sensing capacities of UHPFRC under compression and flexure was investigated. Test results indicated that higher ...

A Cu-TiN composite powder was synthesized by ball milling a Ti2Cu alloy for 25 h in an N2 pressurized atmosphere for use in CuO-TiN and CuO-TiO2 p-type sensing materials. The sensing materials were prepared via a two-step oxidizing process following an investigation of their CO gas-sensing properties. The resistances of both sensing materials increased as CO was introduced, which is typical for a p-type semiconductor at temperature higher than 200 °C. It was found that the CuO-TiN powder shows a better response above 200 °C when compared to the CuO-TiO2 powder. The highest response shown by CuO-TiN was 3.18, while CuO-TiO2 shows a response of 2.20 for 1000 ppm of CO gas at 250 °C. It is believed that the lower responses of CuO-TiO2 at temperature higher than 200 °C was due to the falloff of p-type resistances by simultaneous operation of p- and n-type semiconductors in the presence of CO gas.

Helicopter performance relies heavily on the available output power of the engine(s) installed. A simplistic single-variable analysis approach is often used within the flight-testing community to reduce raw flight-test data in order to predict the available output power under different atmospheric

Japikse (1984), Mayer & Kneeling (1992) and Johnston (1998). Finally the unified integral method has been demonstrated to produce results which are equal to or better than the performance parameters in terms of accuracy. It is obvious from the previous work, that the optimum configuration regarding numbers, positions, ...

The oral-pharyngeal cavity and the gastrointestinal tract are richly endowed with receptors that respond to taste, temperature and to a wide range of specific nutrient and non-nutritive food components. Ingestion of carbohydrate-containing drinks has been shown to enhance endurance exercise performance, and these responses have been attributed to post-absorptive effects. It is increasingly recognised, though, that the response to ingested carbohydrate begins in the mouth via specific carbohydrate receptors and continues in the gut via the release of a range of hormones that influence substrate metabolism. Cold drinks can also enhance performance, especially in conditions of thermal stress, and part of the mechanism underlying this effect may be the response to cold fluids in the mouth. There is also some, albeit not entirely consistent, evidence for effects of caffeine, quinine, menthol and acetic acid on performance or other relevant effects. This review summarises current knowledge of responses to mouth sensing of temperature, carbohydrate and other food components, with the goal of assisting athletes to implement practical strategies that make best use of its effects. It also examines the evidence that oral intake of other nutrients or characteristics associated with food/fluid intake during exercise can enhance performance via communication between the mouth/gut and the brain.

Full Text Available The preparation, characterization and gassensing properties of pure and Fe2O3-ZnO mixed oxide semiconductors have been investigated. The mixed oxides were obtained by mixing ZnO and Fe2O3 in the proportion 1:1, 1:0.5 and 0.5:1. Pure ZnO was observed to be insensitive to NH3 gas. However, mixed oxides (with ZnO: Fe2O3 =1:0.5 were observed to be highly sensitive to ammonia gas. Upon exposure to NH3 gas, the barrier height of Fe2O3-ZnO intergranular regions decreases markedly due to the chemical transformation of Fe2O3 into well conducting ferric ammonium hydroxide leading to a drastic decrease in resistance. The crucial gas response was found to NH3 gas at 3500C and no cross response was observed to other hazardous and polluting gases. The effects of microstructure and doping concentration on the gas response, selectivity, response and recovery of the sensor in the presence of NH3 gas were studied and discussed.

Binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process without templates and additives. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the nanorods possess single crystalline tetragonal Bi 2 CdO 4 phase. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that the length and diameter of the nanorods are 20-300 nm and 5-10 μm, respectively. The formation of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods is closely related to the hydrothermal parameters. The electrochemical sensingperformance of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods has been investigated using the nanorods as glassy carbon electrode modifiers. The detection limit is 0.19 μM with a linear range of 0.0005-2 mM. The nanorod-modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits good electrocatalytic activity toward L-cysteine and great application potential for electrochemical sensors.

Binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process without templates and additives. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the nanorods possess single crystalline tetragonal Bi{sub 2}CdO{sub 4} phase. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that the length and diameter of the nanorods are 20-300 nm and 5-10 μm, respectively. The formation of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods is closely related to the hydrothermal parameters. The electrochemical sensingperformance of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods has been investigated using the nanorods as glassy carbon electrode modifiers. The detection limit is 0.19 μM with a linear range of 0.0005-2 mM. The nanorod-modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits good electrocatalytic activity toward L-cysteine and great application potential for electrochemical sensors.

We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT) based on an amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO₂ gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits.

We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT) based on an amorphous Indium–Gallium–Zinc–Oxide (a-IGZO) semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO2 gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits. PMID:29373524

Full Text Available We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT based on an amorphous Indium–Gallium–Zinc–Oxide (a-IGZO semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO2 gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits.

Full Text Available Microstructural, topology, inner morphology, and gas-sensitivity of mixed xWO3(1-xY2O3 nanoparticles (x = 1, 0.95, 0.9, 0.85, 0.8 thick-film semiconductor gas sensors were studied. The surface topography and inner morphological properties of the mixed powder and sensing film were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD, atomic force microscopy (AFM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Also, gas sensitivity properties of the printed films were evaluated in the presence of methane (CH4 and butane (C4H10 at up to 500 °C operating temperature of the sensor. The results show that the doping agent can modify some structural properties and gas sensitivity of the mixed powder.

The movement of water and gas through plastic clay is an important subject in the research at SCK-CEN on the possible disposal of high level radioactive waste in the Boom clay layer at Mol. Since the construction of the Hades underground research facility in 1983, SCK-CEN has developed and installed numerous piezometers for the geohydrologic characterization and for in situ radionuclide migration experiments. In situ gas and water injection experiments have been performed at two different locations in the underground laboratory. The first location is a multi filter piezometer installed vertically at the bottom of the shaft in 1986. The second location is a three dimensional configuration of four horizontal multi piezometers installed from the gallery. This piezometer configuration was designed for the MEGAS (Modelling and Experiments on GAS migration through argillaceous rocks) project and installed in 1992. It contains 29 filters at distances between 10 m and 15 m from the gallery in the clay. Gas injection experiments show that gas breakthrough occurs at a gas overpressure of about 0.6 MPa. The breakthrough occurs by the creation of gas pathways along the direction of lowest resistance i.e. the zone of low effective stress resulting from the drilling of the borehole. The water injections performed in a filter -- not used for gas injection -- show that the flow of water is also influenced by the mechanical stress conditions. Low effective stress leads to higher hydraulic conductivity. However, water overpressures up to 1.3 MPa did not cause hydrofracturing. Water injections performed in a filter previously used for gas injections, show that the occluded gas hinders the water flow and reduces the hydraulic conductivity by a factor two

A four-wavelength low-power continuous-wave frequency laser reference system has been realised in the 935.4-nm range for water vapour differential absorption lidar (DIAL) applications. The system is built around laboratory extended-cavity and DFB diode lasers. Three lasers are directly locked to three water vapour absorption lines of different strength, whereas the wavelength of the fourth laser lies out of any absorption line (offline). On-line stabilisation is performed by wavelength modulation spectroscopy technique, while precise offline stabilisation is realised by an offset locking at 18.8 GHz. Offset frequency larger than 320 GHz has also been demonstrated at 1.55 μm, based on an all-fibre optical frequency comb. First steps towards the use of a photonic crystal fibre as ultra compact reference cell with long optical pathlength were realised. The developed techniques for direct and offset-lock laser stabilisation can also be applied to other gases and wavelengths, provided the required optical components are available for the laser wavelength considered.

In this present work, ZnO and ZnMgO thin films prepared by a sol-gel process were deposited on glass substrates via spin coating technique. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the obtained films were investigated. X-ray diffraction study revealed that all layers exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite structure without any secondary phase segregation. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) depicts that the grains size of ours samples decreases as magnesium content increases. The absorption spectra obtained on ZnMgO thin films show a band gap tuning from 3.19 to 3.36 eV, which is also consistent with blue shifting of near-band edge PL emission, measured at low temperature. The incorporated amount of magnesium was calculated and confirmed by EDX. The gassensingperformances were tested in air containing NO{sub 2} for different operating temperatures. The experimental result exhibited that ZnMgO sensors shows a faster response and recovery time than the ZnO thin films. The resistivity and the sensor response as function of Mg content were also investigated.

One-dimensional (1D) SnO2-coated ZnO nanowire (SnO2/ZnO NW) N-N heterojunctions were successfully constructed by an effective solvothermal treatment followed with calcination at 400 °C. The obtained samples were characterized by means of XRD, SEM, TEM, Scanning TEM coupled with EDS and XPS analysis, which confirmed that the outer layers of N-type SnO2 nanoparticles (avg. 4 nm) were uniformly distributed onto our pre-synthesized n-type ZnO nanowire supports (diameter 80~100 nm, length 12~16 μm). Comparisons of the gassensingperformances among pure SnO2, pure ZnO NW and the as-fabricated SnO2/ZnO NW heterojunctions revealed that after modification, SnO2/ZnO NW based sensor exhibited remarkably improved response, fast response and recovery speeds, good selectivity and excellent reproducibility to n-butylamine gas, indicating it can be used as promising candidates for high-performance organic amine sensors. The enhanced gas-sensing behavior should be attributed to the unique 1D wire-like morphology of ZnO support, the small size effect of SnO2 nanoparticles, and the semiconductor depletion layer model induced by the strong interfacial interaction between SnO2 and ZnO of the heterojunctions. The as-prepared SnO2/ZnO NW heterojunctions may also supply other novel applications in the fields like photocatalysis, lithium-ion batteries, waste water purification, and so on.

Conductive core-sheath TiO(2)-PEDOT nanocables were prepared using electrospun TiO(2) nanofibers as template, followed by vapor phase polymerization of EDOT. Various techniques were employed to characterize the sample. The results reveal that the TiO(2) core has an average diameter of ∼78 nm while the PEDOT sheath has a uniform thickness of ∼6 nm. The as-prepared TiO(2)-PEDOT nanocables display a fast and reversible response to gaseous NO(2) and NH(3) with a limit of detection as low as 7 ppb and 675 ppb (S/N=3), respectively. This study provides a route for the synthesis of conductive nanostructures which show excellent performance for sensing applications.

Conductive core-sheath TiO2-PEDOT nanocables were prepared using electrospun TiO2 nanofibers as template, followed by vapor phase polymerization of EDOT. Various techniques were employed to characterize the sample. The results reveal that the TiO2 core has an average diameter of ∼78 nm while the PEDOT sheath has a uniform thickness of ∼6 nm. The as-prepared TiO2-PEDOT nanocables display a fast and reversible response to gaseous NO2 and NH3 with a limit of detection as low as 7 ppb and 675 ppb (S/N=3), respectively. This study provides a route for the synthesis of conductive nanostructures which show excellent performance for sensing applications. PMID:22423197

Full Text Available Conductive core-sheath TiO2-PEDOT nanocables were prepared using electrospun TiO2 nanofibers as template, followed by vapor phase polymerization of EDOT. Various techniques were employed to characterize the sample. The results reveal that the TiO2 core has an average diameter of ~78 nm while the PEDOT sheath has a uniform thickness of ~6 nm. The as-prepared TiO2-PEDOT nanocables display a fast and reversible response to gaseous NO2 and NH3 with a limit of detection as low as 7 ppb and 675 ppb (S/N=3, respectively. This study provides a route for the synthesis of conductive nanostructures which show excellent performance for sensing applications.

Full Text Available In this paper a detailed investigation of novel photonic sensors based on slot waveguides has been carried out. Appropriate alloys of group IV materials, such as germanium (Ge, silicon (Si, carbon (C and tin (Sn, are applied in silicon-on-insulator (SOI technology for homogeneous optical sensing at 2.883 µm and 3.39 μm. Electronic and optical properties of group IV alloys have been investigated. In addition, we have designed novel group IV vertical slot waveguides in order to achieve ultra-high sensitivities, as well as good fabrication tolerances. All these features have been compared with well-known SOI slot waveguides for optical label-free homogeneous sensing at 1.55 µm. In conclusion, theoretical investigation of ring resonators based on these novel slot waveguides has revealed very good results in terms of ultra high sensingperformance of methane gas, i.e., limit of detection ~ 3.6×10-5 RIU and wavelength sensitivity > 2×103 nm/RIU.

The greater energy demand by today society sets a number of new challenges in the energy sector. The climate extremes impose new modes of operation of the power plants, with high flexibility in production. Combined cycle co generative power plants are the latest trend in the energy sector. Their high prevalence is due to the great efficiency and the good environmental characteristics. The main work horse in these cogeneration plants is the gas turbine, which power production and efficiency strongly depends on the external climate conditions. In warmer periods when there is increased demand for electricity, the power production from the gas turbines significantly declines. Because of the high electricity demand from the grid and reduced power production from the gas turbines at the same time, the need for application of appropriate technology for preserving the performances and power of the gas turbines arises. This master thesis explores different methods to improve the power in gas turbines by cooling the air on the compressor inlet, analyzing their applicability and effectiveness in order to choose the optimal method for power augmentation for the climatic conditions in the city Skopje. The master thesis gives detailed analysis of the weather in Skopje and the time frame in which the chosen method is applicable. At the end in the master thesis, the economic feasibility of the given method for power augmentation is clearly calculated, using a model of a power plant and calculating the resulting amount of gained energy, the amount of the initial investment, the cost for maintenance and operation of the equipment. By these calculations the period for initial return of investment is obtained. As an added benefit the positive environmental impacts of the applied technology for inlet air cooling is analyzed. (author)

Performance of a gas turbine engine is monitored by computing a mass flow rate through the engine. Acoustic time-of-flight measurements are taken between acoustic transmitters and receivers in the flow path of the engine. The measurements are processed to determine average speeds of sound and gas flow velocities along those lines-of-sound. A volumetric flow rate in the flow path is computed using the gas flow velocities together with a representation of the flow path geometry. A gas density in the flow path is computed using the speeds of sound and a measured static pressure. The mass flow rate is calculated from the gas density and the volumetric flow rate.